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By Akpan David, Calabar
Tension is mounting in New Ekuri Community, Akamkpa Local Government Area, Cross River State, following the seizure of ignition keys and batteries of heavy-duty logging machinery allegedly deployed into the community forest without authorisation.
The action, which occurred on January 12, 2026, followed the discovery that Ezemac, a private logging firm, had moved deep into the forest and commenced the felling of rare trees, despite claims by the community that neither government nor traditional consent had been obtained.
Community sources said the youths, though confronted with armed soldiers providing security for the operation, acted peacefully to prevent escalation. No worker was assaulted and no equipment vandalised.
According to multiple accounts, the youths demanded an immediate halt to logging activities and insisted that the machine operators surrender the keys and batteries pending dialogue.
The seized items were later deposited at the palace of the New Ekuri traditional ruler.
However, rather than engage the community, the firm’s head, Mr. Ezenwa Igwe, allegedly petitioned the police, leading to the arrest and detention of Dr. Martins Egot, a prominent community leader based in Calabar.
A youth leader, Dennis Ntui, said the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 6, ordered Dr. Egot’s arrest and detention for several days, a move that further inflamed tensions and deepened suspicions of official bias.
Ntui alleged that while investigations were still ongoing, the seized items were released and the company quietly returned to the forest, describing the development as “a dangerous provocation capable of triggering violence.”
“The continued presence of Ezemac in our forest is a direct threat to peace, environmental sustainability and community rights,” he said.
Investigations revealed that it took the intervention of elders and community leaders to restrain angry youths from confronting the company — a confrontation observers say could have resulted in casualties.
At a media briefing after his release, Dr. Egot, speaking for the community, demanded the immediate withdrawal of all Ezemac equipment from the New Ekuri Community Forest.
He called for a transparent probe into the legality of the firm’s operations and an independent assessment of environmental damage.
He also accused authorities of criminalising community-based conservation efforts while failing to demand proof of authorisation from the logging firm.
“For decades, New Ekuri has protected this forest through community-led forest management, working with conservation partners under initiatives like the Ekuri Initiative,” Egot said.
“We chose conservation over exploitation, peace over violence. We will defend our forest lawfully and transparently.”
He insisted that inquiries made to the Cross River State Forestry Commission and other relevant agencies showed that Ezemac had no formal approval to log within the community forest.
He further claimed that during a meeting with the AIG, the company was unable to present valid documents when requested.
Reacting, the State Coordinator of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Comrade Raymond Anunobi, said the agency had commenced an independent investigation to determine the legality of the firm’s activities.
“Even though the ban on logging has been lifted, the ban on the exportation of forest products, including timber, is still in force,” Anunobi said, stressing that operators must work strictly within the law.
In his response, Mr. Ezenwa Igwe denied all allegations of illegal logging, insisting that his operations were duly authorised.
He said he possessed all permits, receipts of payments to government agencies, agreements with the Ekuri Community, and evidence of tax compliance.
“I have over 180 workers across Cross River State. I operate a standard factory here and process my wood locally,” Igwe said.
“If what I’m doing is illegal, the Forestry Commission would not issue me documents, and I would not have government backing.”
He further claimed that the community benefited from his operations, including employment opportunities and material support, adding that he even purchased a cow at the community’s request.
As of press time, official documentation authorising Ezemac’s activities within the New Ekuri Community Forest had not been publicly produced, leaving critical questions unanswered and tensions unresolved.
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