A joint security operation in Adjumani District led to the arrest of at least 60 individuals for illegal entry into Zoka Central Forest Reserve.
The arrests followed intelligence from the Zoka Army Detachment indicating that over 200 people were moving in coordinated groups with the alleged intention of occupying land in Acholi Bay, a protected section of the gazetted forest.
The operation, conducted by officers from the Zoka Police Detachment and the Field Force Police (FFP), with army support, intercepted the groups in Malira Village, Zoka Parish, Itirikwa Sub-county, around 1:00 pm.
“Our teams found large groups armed with pangs and hoes claiming they were reclaiming ancestral land. This act is illegal, and we had to intervene swiftly to prevent unlawful occupation,” said SP Asea Collins, Regional Police Spokesperson for North West Nile Region.
During the crackdown, authorities recovered 50 pangs, 10 hoes, and over 40 mobile phones believed to have been used for coordinating the attempt.
Ten suspects have been transferred to Adjumani Central Police Station for formal processing, while more than 50 others are being screened at Maji 2 Police Station. Several individuals remain at large.
The case has been registered under SD 42/22/11/2025 at Adjumani CPS. SP Collins condemned the growing trend of organized encroachments on government forest reserves and warned against further attempts.
“The Zoka Forest is a gazetted government resource. Any unauthorized entry or attempt to annex land within it is a criminal offence. We advise communities to follow legal procedures rather than resorting to mass invasions,” he said.
Authorities assured the public that security remains stable and that police and army personnel are closely monitoring the area to prevent further disruptions.
Investigations are ongoing to identify the masterminds behind the attempted occupation and determine if external actors were involved.
