Kogi state government has constituted a taskforce to arrest anyone in engaged in production of charcoal.
The State Commissioner of Environment, Victor Adewale Omofaiye said ban on charcoal is to curtail indiscriminate felling of trees which is a threat to the state forest reserve.
Omofaiye announced this while addressing stakeholders at the Ijumu Consultative Forum Meeting held at Iyara.
He stated that the state ecosystem is at risk if the felling of trees because of charcoal production is not checked, hence the constitution of the taskforce.
According to him, the committee in partnership with security agencies have been mandated to go round the state and arrest anyone producing or in possession of the item.
The Commissioner urged the public to cooperate with the taskforce by giving them necessary information, saying the move was geared towards security the state forest reserve.
The Olujumu of Ijumu Kingdom, Oba Williams Olusegun Ayeni described the ban as a relief to the indiscriminate felling of trees, pointing out that the act must be urgently checked.
While calling for the implementation of laws regulating tree felling, Oba Ayeni added that most economic trees such as mango, cashew, kolanut and locust beans have been cut in the name of charcoal production.
