126 environment defenders killed in Africa – Global Witness report
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By Agbonkhese Oboh
No fewer than 126 by land and environmental defenders were killed or disappeared in Africa since 2012, with Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, accounting for almost two-thirds of these cases. Other cases are Kenya, six; Liberia, six; South Africa, six; Chad, five; Uganda, five, among several others.
The data were part of a report released by the Global Witness, titled “Roots of Resistance”, with DRC ranking as the deadliest country in Africa, and eighth in the world, as perpetrators to shut down dissent.
Published today, Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Global Witness documented 146 cases worldwide in 2024, down from 196 in 2023. Meaning, on average, about three defenders are killed or disappeared each week.
Speaking at the Nigeria launch of the Global Witness 2025 report hosted by the Renevlyn Development Initiative, RDI, Global Witness Senior Advisor, Laura Furones, said: “These already chilling figures are most likely a gross underestimate.
“The continued difficulty in building an evidence base on the situation faced by defenders in Africa has led to the under-reporting of attacks and the under-representation of defenders in this region.
“Just because we are not recording as many cases in Africa, that does not mean it’s not dangerous for defenders.
“In fact, the opposite is true, with the severe repression of civic space leaving many defenders too scared to speak out in the first place.”
On his part, the Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, said the report has broken the norm of global reports with far-reaching impacts that exclude Africa.
According to him, the report challenges environment and land rights defenders across Africa to own their destinies by speaking up so that the many injustices perpetrated by state-backed corporate entities can be exposed and challenged.
In Africa…
Global Witness documented nine defender killings across Africa in 2024: four in the DRC, three in Liberia, one in Cameroon, and one in Madagascar.
All four of those killed in DRC last year were working to protect Upemba National Park from exploitation. Two were park rangers working to prevent poaching and mining.
Two other defenders, who were helping to track the movements of elephants within the park, were kidnapped and found dead days later.
Nigeria…
In Nigeria, the report captured the situation in Ekuri community on the border of the Cross River National Park in Cross River State, which is now on the front lines of a battle to save its ancestral forest.
Despite winning a UN prize for their pioneering efforts, the Indigenous Nkukorli peoples have seen their sustainable forest management system undermined by government policies that have paved the way for illegal logging and expansion of corporate interests.
As a result, community activists have been subjected to escalating threats, violence and criminalisation as they fight to protect their land and livelihoods.
… arrested
For instance, in January this year, environmental defender Odey Oyama was arrested by a team of over 40 police officers wearing masks and armed with guns. Along with four others, he was charged with promoting inter-communal war, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment.
According to Oyama, who is Executive Director of Rainforest Resource Development Centre, RRDC, “My arrest was a clear attempt to silence me for standing up to corporate logging interests and official corruption. It’s a tactic used to intimidate those who oppose the destruction of our forests.
“Defending our environment is a perilous job. You can easily be killed. I have just been lucky. It is vital that international bodies support forest defenders like me, and hold accountable those who facilitate illegal logging.”
For Ekuri Initiative Chairman and Executive Director of Panacea for Developmental and Infrastructural Challenges for Africa, PADIC-Africa, Martins Egot, “Like so many communities across the country, continent and the world, we have seen the devastating effects of rampant resource exploitation and corruption – and devastation of our land and environment – all in the name of profit.
“We know how powerful community-led conservation can be in protecting forests, and the planet – we have seen it for ourselves.
“The international community must recognise the role we play. When communities like ours are empowered, they become the most effective guardians of the environment.”
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