Report Highlights Rising Threats to Environmental Defenders in Nigeria, Africa

By Diafa Doubra,

A new report by international watchdog Global Witness has raised concerns over increasing threats faced by environmental and land defenders across Africa, including Nigeria.

The report, titled Roots of Resistance, documents killings, abductions, harassment, and intimidation of activists who campaign against deforestation, land grabs, and harmful extractive activities. In Nigeria, the study cited the struggles of the Ekuri community in Cross River State, where locals opposing forest exploitation have reportedly been subjected to intimidation and rights violations.

According to Global Witness, many defenders across Africa risk their lives daily while advocating for environmental justice, yet perpetrators of such violence often go unpunished. The report calls on African governments, including Nigeria’s, to do more in protecting activists and ensuring accountability for abuses.

Rights groups say the findings reinforce the urgent need to strengthen environmental governance, protect communities, and ensure that climate justice efforts are not undermined by violence and impunity.