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By Akpan David, Calabar
Twenty-eight international human rights organizations and environmental agencies have impressed on the federal government of Nigeria to stop firms engaged in illegal logging and deforestation in Ekuri and other forest communities of Cross River State.
They have also urged government to stop them from harassing and criminalising the indigenous peoples and committing widescale human rights abuses.
They made the call in a statement in Calabar, alleging that one month ago, precisely on the 15th of April 2023, a Nigerian logging company, brought 30 army and policemen personnel into the Ekuri community where they opened fire indiscriminately on the local people who protested against the wanton destruction of their forests.
Two of the international rights groups who signed the statement, Dr Adebiyi Asiyanbi of University of British Columbia Canada as well as African Law Foundation, (AFRILAW), disclosed that this is the latest in a row of incidents of threats and intimidations which the community has faced due to actions to protect their lands from illegal logging.
They informed that Ekuri community is a 33,600-hectare tropical rainforest community made up of 6,200 indigenous Nkokoli peoples who resist the raping of their forests.
“The indigenous community’s self-determined efforts to conserve and sustainably manage their forest were recognised by UNDP with the Equator Prize in 2004.
According to them, conservation efforts have resulted in Ekuri forest being registered as Indigenous Community Conserved Area (ICCA) with the United Nations Environmental Programme and World Conservation Monitoring Centre, adding that the forest is also a leading pilot site for the UNREDD program in Nigeria.
“Since January this year, the Ekuri forest has faced unprecedented logging. The conservation efforts of the Ekuri community and their peaceful resistance to illegal deforestation has earned them the wrath of the marauding logging firm.
They alleged that the firm deployed bulldozers and logging equipment into the forest without consent of the Ekuri community.
Findings have shown that when the Ekuri community Eco-Guards intercepted two logging trucks, seizing the keys and handing them over to the Ekuri Community, the firm paid the fine, apologised but later opened new logging routes and began deforesting in a more massive and destructive manner.
“On February 20, 2023, the said company logged an estimated 5000 trees, the timber being removed before the community eco-guards caught up with them and managed to remove batteries from the bulldozers.
“Community members have since faced an escalation of reprisals from the company due to their legitimate, non-violent work, protecting their territory from the illegal loggers, culminating in the incident on the 15th of April where the military and police came into their territory, firing their guns alongside the company who threatened to criminalise community members.”
The conservation groups seriously frowned at ongoing human rights and environmental violations.
They called on the authorities to put an end to brazen acts of harassment against the people who speak out against deforestation, so as to ensure that the Ekuri community are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities.
This, they said, would protect their customary lands and resources without any hindrance or fear of reprisal.
They called on government to conduct an investigation into the actions taken against the environmental human rights defenders, and sanction those involved, ensuring that such do not repeat any more.
The rights groups also appealed for immediate withdrawal of the company from the Ekuri forest to sustain climate change mitigation and livelihood efforts of the community in line with the SDGs.
