Yobe Police Arrest 26 Over Illegal Tree Felling, Environmental Crimes
Hussaini Ibrahim 
DAMATURU, Nigeria – Police in Yobe State arrest 26 men for alleged criminal conspiracy and illegal tree felling in Tarmuwa Local Government Area, amid mounting concerns over worsening desertification in northeastern Nigeria.
The Yobe State Police Command confirms that the suspects, all residents of Damaturu Local Government Area, are accused of unlawfully cutting down trees in bushland surrounding Garaji village, in violation of state environmental protection laws.
In a statement obtained on Thursday, Police Public Relations Officer SP Dungus Abdulkarim says the arrests follow a formal complaint from Habu Mandadawa, Supervisor of the Tarmuwa Local Government Agricultural Department.
“The suspects unlawfully felled trees contrary to Yobe State laws prohibiting deforestation,” Abdulkarim says, adding that officers, with support from local vigilante groups, recover large quantities of freshly cut firewood at the site.
“This is not just about law enforcement. These activities pose a serious environmental threat to our communities,” Abdulkarim says.
Environmental experts note that desertification already affects at least 11 local government areas in Yobe, including Geidam, Machina, Bursari, Fune, Yunusari and Tarmuwa. They caution that unchecked deforestation accelerates soil erosion, reduces farmland productivity and threatens livelihoods dependent on agriculture.
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