……calls for immediate removal of Dr. Olasoji as Enugu Forest Guard Commander.
Enugu Youths under the aegis of Ugwuaji Youths for Peace have accused the Enugu State Commander of the Forest Guard, Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, of using AK-47-wielding unknown gunmen to harass residents and investors and allegedly aid land grabbers around some of their forests.
The youths also accused Olasoji of allegedly using forest guard personnel to intimidate residents and facilitate illegal land dealings in the area. They called on the police, military and other security agencies to intervene urgently, investigate the reported activities of the armed men and ensure the safety of residents and investors.
In a statement signed by the group’s chairman, Barr. Ogbodo Nwobodo, and sent to newsmen in Enugu on Friday, October 16, 2026, the youths categorically rejected Olasoji’s account of the reported incident at one of their forests on Friday, insisting that it did not reflect their people’s experiences.
They condemned what they described as the harassment and intimidation of residents by unidentified armed men allegedly operating under the guise of forest guard personnel.
According to the group, “Our people are wondering when forest guards started wielding AK-47 rifles and using their positions to intimidate residents over land matters. These men have subjected our people to intimidation, while our women have been beaten by these armed individuals. This is unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue in any civilised society.”
The group accused Olasoji of failing to address the concerns of residents over the activities of the armed men, questioning whether forest guard personnel were being used to facilitate land grabbing and illegal land transactions in the community.
“We find it disturbing that Dr. Olasoji, who should be promoting peace and ensuring that those under his command operate within the law, would issue a statement portraying the situation in a manner that fails to address the suffering of our people. We therefore call on him to exercise caution and desist from actions and statements capable of escalating tension in Ugwuaji.”
They further questioned the authority under which armed men carrying AK-47 rifles were operating without clearly identifiable uniforms, demanding that their identities, affiliations and chain of command be established.
The group called on the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command; the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Nigerian Army; the Garrison Commander; the Department of State Services; and other relevant security agencies to investigate the activities of the armed men, the reported assaults on women and other residents, and allegations of land grabbing and illegal land dealings in the area.
It also urged the authorities to examine the photographs and video recordings attached to the statement to establish the facts and ensure that anyone found to have engaged in unlawful activities was brought to justice.
“Available pictures and video recordings provided should be examined to establish the facts and ensure that those wielding AK-47 rifles are arrested and brought to justice,” the statement said.
The youths further called for the immediate removal of Olasoji as Forest Guard Commander in Enugu State, alleging that he had been involved in a series of actions inimical to peace and the vision of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. They urged the government and security agencies to protect residents and investors, investigate alleged land grabbing and illegal land transactions, restore confidence in the security of the area and prevent further tension.
The group also appealed to youths and residents to remain peaceful and avoid taking the law into their own hands, insisting that justice, accountability and the protection of lives and property must remain paramount.
The statement reads,
PRESS STATEMENT
Date: 16 October 2026
CALLS FOR URGENT SECURITY INTERVENTION AS AK-47-WIELDING UNKNOWN GUNMEN DISGUISE AS FOREST GUARDS, HARASS RESIDENTS AND INVESTORS AND ALLEGEDLY AID LAND GRABBERS
We Ugwuaji Youths, under the aegis of Ugwuaji Youths for Peace, wish to categorically reject the account presented by Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rtd) and Commander of the National Forest Guard, Enugu State Command, concerning the incident at the Enugu Smart City Estate forest on Friday, October 16, 2026. His account does not reflect what our people have experienced, and we consider it necessary to set the record straight and call on the appropriate authorities to intervene before the situation deteriorates.
We condemn the harassment and intimidation of our people by unidentified armed men operating in Ugwuaji under the guise of forest guard personnel. These men have been moving around our area without identifiable uniforms, carrying AK-47 rifles and creating fear among residents. Our people are wondering when forest guards started wielding AK-47 rifles and allegedly using their positions to intimidate residents over land matters. These people have subjected our people to intimidation, while our women have been beaten by these armed individuals. This is unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue in any civilised society.
We find it disturbing that Dr. Olasoji, who should be promoting peace and ensuring that those under his command operate within the law, would issue a statement portraying the situation in a manner that fails to address the suffering of our people. He did not explain the activities of the armed men operating in our forests or address the concerns of residents over alleged land grabbing and illegal land dealings in the area. We therefore call on him to exercise caution and desist from actions and statements capable of escalating tension in Ugwuaji.
We are particularly concerned that unknown gunmen are being presented as forest guard personnel and allegedly being used to intimidate and harass our people in connection with land matters. We wonder how individuals carrying AK-47 rifles can be allowed to operate around our community without clearly identifiable uniforms and without residents being able to establish their identities, authority and chain of command. We demand that the authorities establish who these armed men are, who deployed them and under whose authority they are operating, including whether their activities are connected to alleged land grabbing and illegal land transactions.
We wish to make it clear that Ugwuaji is not a lawless community, and our people will not accept a situation in which armed individuals move around our area, harass residents and beat women without consequences. We are particularly concerned about allegations that forest guard personnel are being used to intimidate residents and investors over land and to facilitate the activities of land grabbers. We respect legitimate security agencies and recognise their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property. However, the presence of firearms does not place anyone above the law, and no security-related title should be used to justify intimidation, violence or illegal land dealings.
We therefore call on the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command; the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Nigerian Army; the Garrison Commander; the Department of State Services; and other relevant security agencies to intervene immediately. We demand a thorough investigation into the activities of these armed men, the identities of the individuals parading as forest guard personnel, the assault on our women and other residents, and allegations of land grabbing and illegal land transactions around some of our forests.
We further call on the police and military authorities to verify the identities and official affiliations of all armed persons operating around Ugwuaji lands and forests using the pictures attached to this release. The authorities should also investigate whether any personnel under Dr. Olasoji’s command have been involved in intimidating residents or investors to advance private land interests.
Available pictures and video recordings provided should be examined to establish the facts and ensure that those wielding AK-47 rifles are arrested and brought to justice.
We also call for the immediate removal of Dr. Olasoji as Forest Guard Commander, Enugu State, as he has allegedly been involved in a series of actions that are inimical to peace and the vision of His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. We urge the state government and relevant security agencies to investigate the allegations of land grabbing and illegal land dealings and ensure that forest guard personnel are not used to advance private interests at the expense of our people.
We urge our youths and residents to remain peaceful and avoid taking the law into their own hands. Our demand is for justice, security and respect for the rights of our people. We will continue to speak against intimidation, violence and alleged land grabbing while insisting that the government and security agencies fulfil their responsibility to protect our community.
Signed:
Barr. Ogbodo Nwobodo
Chairman,
Ugwuaji Youths for Peace.
