Bush Burning (Prohibition) Law, chapter 19, no. 9 of 1984

2. Dl'l111i1inw,

3. Prohibilion o l rill'

4. Pc11;1lly

5. Po,\ er of ~rrl':.t

6. Pro:-.l 'rnlion 1101 lo 01x·ralt· ,1 , bar loci, ii al"lio n Bush Burning (Prohibi tion) CAP. 19] 391 CIIAPTER19 l3USll 13URNING ( PROII IBITION ) LAW A Law to prnhihit burning of hushes und ol.her matters connected ff84~ 9 of 0 - the rewith. [30111 October, 198-11

1. This Law may be cited as the Bush 13u1ning (Prohibition) Law . ( i1:nion.

2. In this Law- l)dini1ion. " hush" menns any forest, trees, grassland, plant:Hion, or other plant growth. whether dry or fresh; "fire" includes nIher inllammable or combustib le matters; " f~irest officer•· means any officer in the Forestry Commission nnt below the rank of an Assistant Conservator of Forests; " open place" indudes fom1land wh~thcr cultivatcJ or um:ullival ed, forest, gr;1ssland, thieket, meadow, park, rit!ld, village square and other public plact!s.

3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the r-orc~I L1w or any other l'rohihiiion lir.:. ,jf Law, no person shall- (a) set lire to any forest, trees, grassland, grasses or any other vegetation in any place; (b) by the use or application of' fire in an open place, de.;iroy, damage or in any manner affect, any land, Ire1.:s, woods, woodland, thicket, logs or other wooden matter or t'nrest resources; (c) except as pcrmiIIed by or excused untkr any en:icI111ent in rorct: in the SI:11e, scl fire on :inything in an ,ij)L'l1 pl;rce; or (d) ~..:t lire to anything in such a manner as to cndangl'I thl' lifl:. hc:1lth or propeny of any other person.

4. (J) /\:iy person who- l'cnahy (a) contravcncs (b) allempls 10 coniravcne; 392 CAP. 19] Bush Burning (Prohibition) (c) aids or abets any other person in contravening; ( d) counsels or procures any other person to contravene; or (e) is accessory before or after the fact to the contravention of; any provision of section 3 of this Law is guilty of an offence and liable t'r: conv iction to a fine of one thousand naira or in default, to imprisonmeni f1..'f one year. (2) It is no defence to a prosecution for an offence under subsection ( 1) that the accused person has a right or interest in anything o r place on which it is allt!ged that fire was set. Power of ~rrcst. 5. (I) The chai1man of a local government cou ncil, a superior police officer, or forest or other person authorized by any of them in wri ting, may arrest withou t warrant any person who commits or is reasonably suspected to have comm itted an offence against this L..1w. (2) Any person arrested pursuant to subsect ion (1) shall, as soon as rr.~:i be practicable, be arraigned before the Magistrate's Court havin& jurisdiction in the place wht:re the offence was comm itted to be de-1:: with according to law. Prosecution not 6. A prosecution for an offence against this Law shall not operate as a bar l~~!~ii~'.~ifi,~nr to any civil proceedings that may be instituted for damages or injury ~auSd! by fire, set, applied or used by any person in contravention of any provisit·"' of section 3 of this Law.