Section 18: Offences in relation to monuments

(1) Any person who, save as it is provided in this Act, wilfully destroys, defaces, alters, removes or excavates any monument, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000 or twice the value of such monument (whichever is higher) or to imprisonment for twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2)
Any person who without lawful authority destroys, defaces, alters or removes any notice, mark or sign, denoting any monument or any fence, covering or other thing erected or provided for the maintenance of a monument, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N500 or to imprisonment for six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(3) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be construed as prohibiting the doing by the holder of a mining title of any act in relation to a monument or a thing erected or provided for the maintenance of a monument which is within the area to which a mining title relates if-
(a) such act is authorised by the mining title; and
(b) the mining title was granted or became effective before the date on which the monument was so declared; and
(c) the holder has given the Commission at least three months' notice in writing of his intention to do such act.