A leading civil society organisation, We the People, has raised a red flag over the future of Cross River State’s forests, warning that the state could lose nearly all its forest cover within the next five to ten years if urgent action is not taken. This stark warning comes as the state grapples with an accelerating deforestation crisis, fuelled by illegal logging, unchecked mining activities, and poor policy implementation.
In a statement made available to The Trumpet in Calabar, the Executive Director of We the People, Mr. Ken Henshaw, described the current situation as a ticking ecological time bomb. He revealed that illegal mining operations, particularly those targeting lithium deposits within the Cross River National Park, are contributing to widespread environmental degradation, escalating conflict, and the displacement of indigenous communities. These harmful activities, he stressed, are largely driven by foreign actors and thrive under weak regulation and enforcement.
Henshaw emphasized that Cross River State is home to Nigeria’s largest remaining expanse of tropical rainforests, which have long been preserved by local communities through traditional conservation practices. However, he argued that these efforts have been undermined by successive government policies, particularly the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) initiative launched in 2008. According to him, instead of protecting the forests, REDD+ resulted in the reversal of community land rights, a surge in poverty levels, and a boom in illegal logging.
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“Logging became rampant from 2010 onwards, even under the so-called forest ban, which failed to halt the destruction,” Henshaw stated. “Over 40 percent of Cross River’s forests have been lost since then, and illegal activities continue to flourish, often with the complicity of state officials and Forestry Commission agents.”
Despite lifting the controversial forest ban and introducing new forest management practices, the group said the situation on the ground remains dire. Illegal logging has become deeply entrenched, with timber cartels operating freely across forest communities, stripping the land of its rich biodiversity.
Henshaw also raised alarm over what he described as an aggressive anticipatory acquisition of mangrove forests by foreign interests, particularly Chinese entities seeking to exploit carbon credit opportunities. These transactions, he noted, are frequently carried out without the knowledge or consent of affected communities, thereby violating their environmental and economic rights.
Calling for immediate intervention, the organisation urged the Cross River State Government to enact and enforce strong environmental protection laws, re-establish community land rights, and hold complicit officials accountable. Without bold and immediate steps, the group warns, Cross River risks becoming the first Nigerian state to witness a complete collapse of its natural forest ecosystem.