By Ijoo Bosco
Residents of Kerepi, Nyokwa and neighbouring communities along the Pageri–Moli corridor are living in fear following repeated invasions by elephants, which have reportedly destroyed crops, threatened livelihoods and disrupted daily activities.
The elephants have been raiding farms across an area stretching more than five kilometres, destroying mango trees, trampling banana plantations and uprooting cassava crops, leaving several households facing potential food shortages.
The repeated incursions have heightened anxiety among residents, who say they are increasingly worried about their safety, particularly when travelling to farms and carrying out other daily activities.
Speaking to Voice of Freedom in Magwi on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Major Lam Jacob, Officer-in-Charge of Loa Police Post, raised concern over the growing human-wildlife conflict and called on the government to take urgent action to protect affected communities.
Major Jacob urged the government to strengthen protection measures around the game park by constructing a fence and deploying wildlife officers to monitor elephant movements and prevent further destruction.
“We are appealing to the government to urgently intervene by fencing the game park and deploying wildlife officers to the affected areas. Our communities are suffering, and people’s lives and property need protection,” Major Jacob said.
He also expressed concern over the safety of schoolchildren, warning that the presence of elephants could expose learners to danger as they travel to and from school during the ongoing examination period.
“Our children are currently sitting for examinations. They need a safe environment to travel to school and return home without fear of encountering elephants,” he appealed.
Residents say the continued destruction of crops is worsening their economic difficulties, as many families depend on subsistence farming for their daily food and survival.
They are now calling on the government, wildlife authorities and relevant institutions to urgently address the situation before it escalates into a possible human-wildlife tragedy.
The affected communities want immediate intervention, including effective wildlife monitoring, protection of farms and safer passage for schoolchildren and other residents.
As the situation continues to cause concern, residents insist that protecting human lives and securing their livelihoods must be treated as an urgent priority.