Nasarawa State Government has banned the use and sale of charcoal in the state as part of measures to protect the environment.

Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Mr Aliyu Agwai stated this while addressing newsmen in Lafia after the December 2021 Environmental Sanitation Exercise.

According to Mr Agwai, the ban became imperative given the harmful effects to human health and the environment, associated with the process of producing charcoal.

He stated that the use and sales of charcoal had also increased cases of indiscriminate tree felling in the state which gives rise to global warming and other environmental hazards.

The permanent secretary warned those selling and using charcoal to desist from the business or face prosecution.

Mr Agwai however commended residents of the state for complying with the environmental sanitation exercise despite the change in date due to the forthcoming Christmas celebration.

Access roads to Lafia, Nasarawa State capital were blocked to regulate movement until the exercise was over.

Meanwhile, the Mobile Court handling environmental sanitation cases prosecuted 32 persons suspected to have been arrested while transacting their private businesses within the hours of exercise.

The Trial Judge, Abdullahi Lande, convicted and sentenced the violators to 6 months imprisonment with an option of a fine of between ₦5,000 and ₦50,000.