By CHRISTIAN NJOKU (NAN)

In the heart of Nigeria?s last remaining rainforests, a growing crisis is unfolding.

Once revered as symbols of nature?s majesty, elephants in the Mbe Mountains of Cross River are now seen as threats by local farmers.

Their increasingly frequent crop raids are pushing already struggling communities to the brink.

In communities such as Bamba and Butatong, wild elephants have destroyed farmlands, economic trees, and crops worth millions, with reports of human casualties.

Conservation groups argue that a major factor behind these invasions is habitat loss in protected areas like Afi River Forest Reserve, which has forced elephants to encroach on human settlements.

Hence, they have advocated for alternative livelihoods, such as beekeeping and livestock farming, to help reduce human-wildlife conflicts.

In response, the House of Representatives recently called for collaboration with Cameroon to manage the situation, while NEMA has been urged to provide relief for affected communities.

During a recent debate, Mr Victor Abang, who represents the Boki/Ikom Federal Constituency, revealed the dire situation.

He stated, ?Between Jan. and Feb. 2025, wild elephants from the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park and Cameroon?s Takamanda National Park invaded farms in Bamba, Butatong, and other communities around the Mbe Mountains.

?Their rampages destroyed farmlands worth millions of naira and reportedly led to loss of lives?.

While conservationists work tirelessly to protect these endangered giants, frustrated farmers are demanding urgent action.

Many fear that, without swift intervention, desperate locals may resort to self-defence, escalating tensions and endangering both humans and elephants.

Building on this information, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent visited several affected communities around the Mbe Mountains in Boki Local Government Area.

The Mbe Mountains, covering approximately 85 square kilometres, serve as an important wildlife corridor between two national parks, home to critically endangered species such as the Cross River gorilla, chimpanzees, and elephants.

However, many of the surrounding communities lack basic amenities such as electricity and potable water.

They rely on boreholes installed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other charitable organisations, but these are grossly inadequate.

This once-pristine landscape faces increasing threats from unchecked logging of ebony, mahogany, and other valuable woods, driven by both state and non-state actors.

Agricultural expansion and poaching with wire snares and shotguns further exacerbate the crisis.

Nine communities; Abo Mkpang, Abo Obisu, Abo Ogbagante, Kayang I, Kayang II, Wula Ekumpou, Wula Mgba Esour, Bukalum, and Bamba, are at the heart of this conflict.

With a combined population of roughly 10,000, they depend heavily on farming, yet many now find their livelihoods destroyed.

?We?ve always had these raids, but recently, they have become worse,? said Kingsley Obua, a resident of Bamba, the hardest-hit community.

He added that in 2023, two people; Mr Eugene Ekwo and Mr Simon Ewa, were killed in elephant attacks, warning that action must be taken before the situation spirals out of control.

In Wula I, Chief Damian Aria, the Village Head and a key member of the Conservation Association of Mbe Mountains (CAMM), confirmed that they have received numerous complaints from farmers about elephant raids.

?We have investigated these reports, and they are true. When elephants enter a farm, it looks as if a bulldozer has passed through. However, we have not received reports of them killing anyone,? Aria said.

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation revealed that elephants require between 90 and 270 kg of food and 50 to 100 gallons of water daily, depending on the temperature.

In the past, the forests provided these resources, but widespread deforestation has wiped out many fruit-bearing trees, forcing elephants to seek food and water in community farms.

In fact, Dr Peter Oko, an environmental scientist at the University of Calabar, explains that forests serve as watersheds, but excessive logging disrupts them.

?When this happens, both food production and water availability decline, forcing wildlife to move into human territories.

?The problem is worsened by climate change and prolonged dry seasons, as many rainforest streams are fast drying up, leaving the Okorn River, which demarcates the national park from community farmlands as one of the only remaining water sources.

?Elephants, desperate for water, now cross from the park into farmlands more frequently, ?he said.

According to Isaac Bessong of the Boki Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, elephants cross the Okorn River to raid crops in Bamba between February and April.

Bessong insists that they then shift to Abo Mkpang and Bokalum from May to September, causing losses in the hundreds of millions.

He warns that financial strain on farmers is pushing some toward retaliatory killings.

Conservationists report that at least seven elephants were killed in the Okwangwo-Takamanda landscape in 2024 due to crop raids.

Given that the region?s elephant population is estimated at just 74, according to the latest African Elephant Status Report, this is a concerning trend.

Similarly, Dr Inaoyom Imong, Director of Cross River Landscape at the WCS, argues that elephant incursions are largely due to human encroachment on their historical ranges.

?When the park was established, a buffer zone separated it from community farmlands, reducing human-wildlife conflict.

?However, these buffer zones have been overtaken by farmlands, leaving no protective space between the park and communities.

?As we face increasing deforestation from illegal logging and unsustainable farming practices, elephants struggle to find food and water, forcing them to venture into community farms?.

Imong also revealed that political unrest in south-western Cameroon has left weapons in the hands of militants who hide in the forests, including Takamanda National Park.

He suspects these agitators are poaching elephants for meat and ivory to fund their conflicts, driving more elephants into Nigerian territory and increasing crop raids.

While conservation groups like WCS and the Elephant Protection Initiative are working to address the issue, urgent government intervention is necessary.

Stakeholders stress that the National Elephant Action Plan (2024?2034) must go beyond paperwork and be fully funded and implemented.

According to them, Government visits, such as that of Boki Local Government Chairman Mrs Beatrice Nyiam, are insufficient.

They opined that concrete action is needed, including expanding buffer zones, promoting sustainable farming, improving infrastructure, and enforcing wildlife protection laws.

Overall, without urgent intervention, Cross River could lose its last elephants, and local communities will continue to suffer. Immediate action is needed from all stakeholders. (NAN)

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