The Chairman of the Edo State Forestry Commission, Hon Valentine Asuen, has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of all forest reserves in the state and warned that acts of deforestation and illegal encroachment will not be tolerated.
The Commission on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, convened a stakeholders’ meeting with Okomu Oil Palm Company, IDH, and representatives of forest fringe communities to address reported encroachment within the High Conservation Value, HCV, area of Okomu Oil Palm Company’s concession.
The meeting, held at the Commission’s Headquarters in Benin City, followed an earlier notification from Okomu Oil to the Commission regarding encroachment and destruction in parts of its HCV area. The session was aimed at investigating the matter and properly identifying, verifying, and profiling communities and camps within the Okomu Forest Landscape.
Presiding over the meeting, the Chairman of the Edo State Forestry Commission, Hon. Valentine Owamagbe Asuen, restated the Commission’s mandate to safeguard the state’s forest estates.
He described proper documentation as sacrosanct and warned that the Commission will not condone illegal occupation of forest reserves.
“Encroachment and deforestation is prohibited in Edo State. Anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law,” Hon. Asuen declared.
He further called for aggressive tree planting and urged community members to actively participate in both replanting exercises and the protection of existing trees. The appeal was well received, with community representatives pledging their cooperation.
Representatives of Okomu Oil Palm Company presented evidence of their legal right to the concession, including Certificates of Occupancy, maps of their concession and HCV area, and other supporting documents. The company stated that the HCV area is frequently encroached upon by forest fringe communities, which has contributed to the ongoing destruction.
Community representatives present denied involvement in the deforestation of the HCV area. However, when asked to provide documents proving their legal right to reside within the Okomu Forest Reserve, they were unable to do so. They appealed to the Commission for time to produce the necessary documents.
In response, the Commission granted the communities a two-week ultimatum to present evidence of lawful occupancy.
The meeting concluded with an agreement for continued engagement among the Commission, Okomu Oil, IDH, and the communities to ensure sustainable forest management in the Okomu Landscape.