**Nigeria's Forests in Peril: CSOs Urge Overhaul of Cross River Forestry Law** Nigeria's rich biodiversity and unique landscapes are facing unprecedented threats, with deforestation and forest-related crimes on the rise in Cross River State. To address this pressing issue, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has demanded a comprehensive review of the Cross River State Forestry Law, 2010, which they claim is too weak to protect the state's forests. The CSOs, who include We The People, PADIC Africa, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, among others, held a media briefing in Calabar to draw attention to the loopholes in the current legislation. According to them, the law's penalties are too lenient, allowing forest crimes to persist with impunity. For instance, a truck seized during a forest crime may incur a mere N200,000 fine, a sum that many illegal loggers would gladly pay to continue their activities. The CSOs are urging the Cross River State Forestry Commission to review the law to reflect the gravity of forest offences. They recommend stiffer sanctions, improved monitoring systems, and stronger inter-agency collaboration to close enforcement gaps. Moreover, they argue that Cross River's forests represent vast untapped economic capital, with significant ecotourism potential capable of generating revenue, creating employment, and incentivising conservation. However, the state's forest cover is declining, insecurity linked to illegal forest activities is on the rise, and the absence of clear policy direction is undermining these prospects. The CSOs warn that by protecting forests, the state is also protecting economic opportunities for present and future generations. To address this challenge, the CSOs recommend community participation in forest governance, recognition of traditional knowledge systems, and community-based monitoring mechanisms. They also propose that any revised forestry legislation formally integrate ecotourism principles into forest governance, provide legal backing for conservation-based enterprises, and create structured pathways for public-private partnerships. The fate of Nigeria's forests hangs in the balance, and the CSOs are urging the Cross River State Forestry Commission to take action. Will the state heed their call and embark on a path towards sustainable forest management, or will the pressures of deforestation and forest-related crimes continue to undermine the state's economic and environmental prospects? The clock is ticking, and the future of Nigeria's forests depends on it.