Residents of New Ekuri Community in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State have raised concerns over alleged unauthorised logging activities in their community forest, warning that failure to address the issue promptly could heighten tension in the area.
Speaking at a press briefing in Calabar on Thursday, January 22, 2026, representatives of the community accused Ezemac International Limited of encroaching on the New Ekuri Community Forest and harvesting timber without the consent of the host community. The company is owned by Mr. Ezenwa Igwe.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the community and its traditional leadership, Dr. Martins Egot, Executive Director of Panacea for Developmental and Infrastructural Challenges for Africa Initiative (PADIC-Africa), said the forest is a community-owned asset protected by customary laws and recognised community forestry arrangements.
He stressed that no commercial activity could legally take place in the forest without the free, prior and informed consent of the people.
Egot described New Ekuri as an internationally recognised example of community-led forest conservation, noting that the community has preserved over 33,600 hectares of rainforest for decades, opting for sustainable forest management rather than large-scale commercial logging.
According to him, the controversy began on January 12, 2026, when youths conducting routine road maintenance reportedly heard the sound of heavy machinery operating deep within the forest. He said the youths later discovered two bulldozers, an excavator and four trucks allegedly engaged in timber extraction.
“The youths acted peacefully. No worker was assaulted and no equipment was vandalised. They only requested that operations stop and that the ignition keys and batteries be handed over pending dialogue,” Egot said.
He added that the recovered items were subsequently deposited at the Apiapum Police Station for safekeeping.
The situation, however, reportedly escalated following a petition by Ezemac to the police, alleging that community leaders mobilised youths to attack workers and vandalise equipment.
Egot said he was arrested and detained by the Zone 6 Police Command on January 13, despite maintaining that he was in Calabar and not present in the community at the time of the incident.
The community further expressed concern that while investigations were ongoing, the seized equipment was released to the company, which allegedly returned to the forest to resume operations.
According to Egot, the development angered youths in the community and required the intervention of elders to prevent a confrontation that could have degenerated into violence.
The community also alleged that the company’s activities caused significant ecological damage, including the destruction of young trees and forest corridors, adding that the environmental and economic losses were difficult to quantify.
Questions were also raised about the role of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, with the community demanding clarification on whether any permit was issued to the company, the scope of the approved operations and the royalties payable to the host community.
The people of New Ekuri said petitions had been submitted to relevant state and federal authorities and disclosed that they had received an invitation from the Cross River State House of Assembly to appear before it on January 27, 2026, over the matter.
Among their demands are the immediate withdrawal of Ezemac’s equipment from the forest, a transparent investigation into the legality of the logging activities, an independent environmental impact assessment and protection for community leaders and youths from alleged harassment.
Also speaking at the briefing, the Cross River State Director and Coordinator of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Raymond Anunobi, assured the community of the agency’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws.
Anunobi said NESREA would carry out its statutory investigations and urged communities to promptly report environmental infractions, noting that collaboration with regulatory agencies would help prevent undue intimidation by law enforcement.
However, reacting to the allegations in a telephone interview, the Managing Director of Ezemac International Limited, Mr. Ezenwa Igwe, denied any wrongdoing. He insisted that the company operates legally with valid permits issued by the Cross River State Forestry Commission.
Igwe said the state government had lifted the ban on logging and maintained that Ezemac had complied with all regulatory requirements.
He further claimed that the company has agreements with the New Ekuri community and that some community members are either employed by the company or supply timber to it.
Describing the allegations as unfounded, Igwe urged the public to verify his company’s documentation with the Forestry Commission.
By Stina Ezin, Calabar