Ugandan authorities have detained over 60 individuals suspected of attempting to illegally occupy protected land within the Zoka Government Forest Reserve in Adjumani District, marking one of the largest conservation enforcement actions in the West Nile region in recent memory. A combined security force intercepted approximately 200 people who appeared to be mobilizing toward Acholi Bay, a section of the reserve in Malira Village, and confiscated tools such as machetes and agricultural implements allegedly intended for clearing vegetation. Some detainees claimed they were reclaiming ancestral territory, a justification that officials are currently investigating.
Regional police spokesperson SP Collins Asea confirmed that ten suspects were moved to Adjumani Central Police Station for questioning, while the remainder are being held at Maji 2 Police Station. Security forces also seized more than 40 mobile phones believed to be used to coordinate the incursion. The crackdown underscores mounting concerns about deforestation in Uganda, where nearly 90,000 hectares disappear annually according to environmental authorities, with Zoka Forest facing persistent threats from illegal logging and settlement.
Regional police spokesperson SP Collins Asea confirmed that ten suspects were moved to Adjumani Central Police Station for questioning, while the remainder are being held at Maji 2 Police Station. Security forces also seized more than 40 mobile phones believed to be used to coordinate the incursion. The crackdown underscores mounting concerns about deforestation in Uganda, where nearly 90,000 hectares disappear annually according to environmental authorities, with Zoka Forest facing persistent threats from illegal logging and settlement.
