The Zamfara State Government has banned the transportation of firewoods to neighbouring states, saying it is causing desertification in the state.
The Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bello Dankande, announced this on Sunday at a news conference in Gusau.
Dankande said it had also been discovered that the firewood transporters supplied bandits with foodstuff, fuel and other necessities of life without the criminals coming to town.
He said: “People come from all these our neighbouring states to cut down our trees to take to their states and sell while leaving their own trees.
This attitude is selfish because while their forests remained intact, ours are being destroyed and then we are faced with various threats that accompany desert encroachment.”
Dankande said anyone caught breaching the directive would face the full wrath of the law, while those caught supplying criminals would be treated as criminals too.