The Cross River State Government has warned communities, individuals and groups involved in the unauthorised sale, allocation, lease or transfer of lands within forest reserves, declaring such transactions illegal and void.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Rt. Hon. George O’Ben-Etchi issued the warning in Calabar on Tuesday, expressing concern over what he described as a growing trend of illegal dealings involving portions of forest reserves across the state.

He said ownership and control of all forest reserves are vested exclusively in the Cross River State Government under existing laws, making any private sale or transfer of such lands unlawful.

“The government 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,” he said.

O’Ben-Etchi directed all communities, traditional institutions, individuals and groups engaged in such activities to desist immediately.

He also cautioned prospective buyers, companies and organisations seeking to acquire land within forest reserves that such transactions confer no legal rights and are therefore null and void.
“Individuals, companies and organisations that have purchased or are in the process of acquiring lands within forest reserves are advised to take note that such transactions are null and void and confer no legal rights whatsoever,” he stated.

The chairman warned that failure to comply with the directive would attract strict enforcement measures, including recovery of illegally acquired lands and assets, as well as investigation and prosecution of all persons involved.
He said the directive reflects the commission’s commitment to protecting Cross River State’s forest heritage and preserving critical ecosystems for future generations.

To ensure compliance, he directed Commissioners, Zonal Officers, Forest Officers and Chief Rangers to enforce the order across the state.

The chairman reiterated the commission’s resolve to safeguard forest reserves and prevent activities that could compromise environmental conservation efforts.

Cross River State’s forests account for over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s remaining tropical rainforests and harbour globally significant biodiversity, including the critically endangered Cross River gorilla and the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee. However, these ecosystems continue to face severe threats from logging, mining and agricultural expansion.