The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruq Umar-Faruq, says indiscriminate cutting of trees is worse than terrorism because it poses significant threats to the environment.
The Emir stated this in Daura on Friday, when Mr Saleh Abubakar, the Director General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall visited him.
According to the emir, the emirate council has taken the act of tree cutting in the area as a serious offence, because it can have devastating consequences for the community.
The royal father said that for a very long time, the emirate council had concluded that cutting trees was equivalent to killing a human being.
According to him, because of the importance of tree planting, the emirate has provided serious punishment against anyone found guilty of cutting trees.
He added that most of the environmental challenges facing many areas were due to the nonchalant attitude of cutting down trees.
Umar-Faruq said that the Daura emirate council was the first across the country, especially in terms of tree planting.
“The emirate council is fully ready to support the agency in the distribution of the date seeds because it will reduce unemployment and also insecurity,” he assured.
The emir also promised to further sensitise the public on the importance of tree planting in the area, urging the people to plant and nurture trees to combat deforestation and protect the environment.
He urged the agency to address deforestation and its impact on the environment, which could lead to desert encroachment and climate change.
Earlier, the agency director general, said the advocacy visit was to seek the support of the emir to fight the encroachment of the Sahara deserts.
According to Abubakar, the encroachment is really affecting farmlands, killing domestic animals, hence the need for the residents to adopt the culture of tree planting to make the environment better.
He said that the encroachment had been happening for a long time, but it was beyond expectations in recent times.
“Therefore, if prevented, we’re going to witness the needed rainy season, and it will enable the farmers to harvest more and boost the economy.
“In recent times, we’re experiencing too much heat, unlike before; it’s only the planting of trees that can prevent this situation,” he said.
According to him, while on his way to Daura, he was impressed to see the vast lands and the tree planting along the environment.
He told the emir that the agency would visit the 11 northern states where it operates and Katsina was one of them, while Daura was among the most important areas to visit.
“The agency has plans to distribute across our operating states, about 5 million Saudi Arabian date seeds, which can grow and be used in four years,” Abubakar said.
According to him, when planted and harvested after four years, Nigeria can generate over N300 billion out of it, to boost the country’s economy.
The agency operates in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Yobe, and Katsina states.
