First published on 02/20/2016, and last updated on 10/31/2016
Follow their action in the dedicated website: Save Ekuri Forest!
The ICCA Consortium has written (February 29, 2016) to top national authorities in Nigeria to express its serious concerns regarding a impending so called “super-highway” expected to be built across the Ekuri community forest in Cross River State— one of Nigeria’s last and most precious surviving rainforests.
Work to begin clearing the forest for the “super-highway” is said to be imminent in Ekuri’s land and has seemingly already begun in neighbouring land, engendering the desperation of local communities.
This initiative, which is proceeding in absence of any environmental and social impact analysis and certainly without the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the relevant communities– violates international obligations in terms of human rights and indigenous peoples’ rights and is squarely in contradiction with CBD and UNFCCC obligations to which Nigeria has freely adhered.
- Here is the full Consortium’s letter
- Please read here their fact sheet
Timeline
13 March 2016: Read here a Press Release by Greencode: Environmental NGO and communities call for immediate stop to Super Highway – bulldozer destructions in Akpabuyo and Bakassi LGA in cross river State, Nigeria. This call was not followed…
11 March 2016: The info is relayed in the international Media : Nigerian government urged to halt “land grab” in Ekuri community forest
10 March 2016: The ministry of environment respond positively to Ekuri’s call! (However there is no changes in the facts observed yet…)
3 March 2016: Read here a Press release: Cross River Superhighway destroys the forest and lives of the Ekuri people and thousands others
Along with other remaining rainforests in Cross River State, the Ekuri community forest is of global significance. The Ekuri and Okokori communities and our Memebr Ekuri Initiative have already written to the Governor of Cross River State to oppose the “super-highway” project and we join our voice to their voices hoping to prevent irremediable ecological impact, socio-cultural and human impact and economic, financial and reputational impact for Cross River State and Nigeria a whole.
We appealed authorities to suspend all field activities for the so-called “super-highway” project and in particular to suspend all forest logging and clearance already commenced without EIA permit from the Ministry of Environment of Nigeria and to rescind the related land acquisition along the route through forested areas.
We urge a thoroughly participatory and transparent review of the ecological, socio-cultural, economic, financial and reputational impacts of the so-called “super-highway”, to examine all alternatives routes that avoid the destruction of the Ekuri community forests and other forested parts of Cross River State, and to enhance awareness of the value of governance, management and conservation capacities of the local traditional institutions of forest communities in Cross River state and Nigeria as a whole.
