The National Forestry Authority (NFA) enforcement team has dismantled a criminal racket that had been staging illegal roadblocks and extorting millions of shillings from charcoal and forest product traders along major highways across Uganda.
The operation followed numerous complaints from the public alleging that individuals posing as NFA officials were stopping traders along the Gulu, Masaka and Jinja highways and demanding money from them.
Acting on the complaints, NFA top management deployed a special enforcement team led by the authority’s Police Liaison Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Francis Olugu, and NFA Legal Officer Sam Blick. The team was tasked with patrolling key highway routes stretching from Gulu to Moyo to track down the suspects.
Following a tip-off, the enforcement team intercepted the suspects in the Bombo–Kalule area while they had stopped a charcoal truck. One of the suspects, who identified himself as Sergeant Andrew Senyanzi and was dressed in an army uniform, fled the scene in a vehicle. Two others, Lukyamuzi and Adam Shariff—who was wearing a reflector jacket labelled “NFA”—attempted to escape into nearby bushes.
ACP Olugu fired warning shots into the air ordering the suspects to surrender. When they ignored the commands, he shot Adam Shariff in the foot, leading to his arrest. The injured suspect was taken to hospital and is expected to be handed over to police to face robbery charges.
During interrogation by the NFA legal team, Shariff reportedly admitted that the group had been mounting illegal roadblocks and extorting money from charcoal traders, including those with genuine licences. Investigators say the suspects were using vehicles registration numbers UBE 631D (white Ipsum) and UAN 595X (Harrier) during their operations.
According to NFA Communications and Public Relations Manager Aldon Walukamba, the criminal racket had severely damaged the authority’s image.
“This criminal activity has dented the well-intentioned mandate of NFA. We call upon the public to work with us to eliminate such robbery and extortion targeting genuine forest product traders,” Walukamba said.
He added that NFA enforcement teams have recently arrested more than 300 illegal forest offenders operating in several forest reserves across the country, including Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Oriha Central Forest Reserve, Mount Kei Central Forest Reserve, Kityerera Central Forest Reserve, Jubiya Central Forest Reserve and Nsoowe Central Forest Reserve.
Many of the suspects have since been prosecuted in courts of law, with the cases widely reported in national media outlets.
