TRENDS IN FOREST OFFENCES AND LOGGING IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the trend in forest offences and logging in Kogi state, Nigeria. It also examined logging activities in the state between 2007 and 2012; those responsible for forest offences; number of arrested offenders; penalties and the control measures, the amount that accrued from logging activities and fines to the government as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) during the period. Data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The primary source involves the use of well structured questionnaire administered on all the forty-three (43) forest staff in the eight Forestry Administrative Zones in the state namely; Kabba, Iyara, Odoere, Isanlu, Okene, Dekina, Ajaka and Kotonkarfee including headquarter, Lokoja. The questionnaire was designed to collect information on demographic characteristics of the respondent’s categories of those responsible for illegal activities in the forest reserve, the causes of the continuous increase in illegal activities; log control measures of the state government; impact of logging to rural livelihood and ecosystem services and suggestion for sustainable management of forest resources in the state. Other information collected with the questionnaire were on forest offences, problems facing log control in the state, number of offenders apprehended and contribution of the forest sub-sectors to internally generated revenue of the state. Secondary data for this study were collected on the volume and the number of different economic timber species exploited on monthly basis between 2007 and 2012. The data were collected from available records, files and reports at the state department. The results showed that the most prominent of the various forest offences are felling of under girth trees, flitching, failure to keep sawmills log book, movement of log at night; erase of arrow marks from logs and movement of unprocessed log across the state. Those mostly involved in forest offences are the timber contractors in conjunction with corrupt forest staffs. There are 43, forestry staffs in the study area with the highest proportion (41.9%) in the uniform cadre and most of them are well trained with about twenty years working experience. An average of 154 offenders was arrested annually in the state. A total amount of N 6,416, 630 was realized from fine during the period of the study. On logging activities, the sum of 20,004,022 was realized for the period of six years. 2007 has 2,484320 as the least fund realized on logging. The total sum of 26,420,652 was the IGR for the six years period with the highest amount realized in 2011 and the least in 2007 with 5,412,400 and 3,487,370 respectively. The major problem of forest monitoring and log control in the state includes shortage of staff and vehicle (mobility). There are only eighteen (18) persons in charge of log control in the state with one vehicle and five motor-cycles for monitoring. They could be referred to as grossly inadequate; hence the increase in the number of forest offenders. It was observed that virtually all species of wood are now removed as converted to sawn timber. Forty-two timber species were harvested from the study area for a period of six years. the number of stems removed stood at 68,309. The total volume of wood removed for the period from both reserve and free areas 112,790.6 m3 . The implication of these forest offenders (illegal activities) were discussed and suggestion on how to reduce illegal activities especially in the forest estate were provided some of the implications on these act include soil degradation; climate problem (climate change) extinction of tree species; wild animals among others. This study established the trend in forest offences, timber exploitation and logging activities in Kogi State, Nigeria, annual revenue from forestry activities to the state IGR and the implications of logging activities on sustainable forest management. Keywords: Trends, Forest offences, logging