The Cross River State Government has warned communities, individuals and groups involved in the illegal sale, allocation and transfer of lands within forest reserves across the state to desist or face prosecution.
It stated that such transactions are unlawful and therefore cannot confer any legal ownership rights or interests on buyers, as they are not recognised under existing laws governing forest reserves in the state.
The warning was issued by the Cross River State Forestry Commission in a statement signed by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, George O’Ben-Etchi, on Wednesday.
The commission expressed concern over what it described as an increasing trend of unauthorised dealings in portions of forest reserve lands.
It stressed that ownership and control of all forest reserves in the state are vested solely in the state government under existing laws, making any private sale, lease or transfer of such lands illegal and void.
The commission said the practice threatens protected forest areas and undermines efforts aimed at biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management.
“The commission strongly condemns this unlawful practice, as it threatens the integrity of protected forest areas and undermines ongoing efforts to conserve biodiversity and ensure the sustainable management of the state’s forest resources,” the statement read.
It directed all communities, traditional institutions, individuals and groups involved in such transactions to immediately cease all activities.
The commission also cautioned prospective buyers, companies and organisations against acquiring lands within forest reserves, stressing that such transactions confer no legal rights.
It warned that defaulters would face strict enforcement measures, including recovery of illegally acquired lands and assets, as well as investigation and prosecution of all persons and entities involved.
The agency said the directive is part of ongoing efforts to protect the state’s forest heritage and preserve critical ecosystems for future generations.
To ensure compliance, it directed commissioners, zonal officers, forest officers and chief rangers to enforce the order across the state.
Cross River State hosts more than half of Nigeria’s remaining tropical rainforest and is home to rare wildlife species, including the Cross River gorilla and the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee.