A trio who have been camping in a woodland near Jedburgh, Scottish Borders, since May remained on the site after being served notice to leave, the landowner said, and is preparing to go to court to secure an eviction order.
The group — identified as Kofi Offeh, 36, from Ghana; Jean Gasho, 42, from Zimbabwe; and 21-year-old American Kaura Taylor — has camped in a clearing between two industrial estates and told locals they are founding a northern “Kingdom of Kubala” and reclaiming what they say is ancestral land. They were formally served with a notice on Friday requiring them to vacate the encampment by 5 p.m. the following day; they remained in the woodland after that deadline passed.
The group has posted several videos online in recent days, including footage set to the music of the film Braveheart that appeared to show them leaving the forest, and another clip in which they unpacked goods apparently given to them by two women from Edinburgh. Items shown included groceries, a towel, a new pair of boots and a bottle of water. Some local residents left small offerings such as Irn-Bru and shortbread; others have expressed scepticism about the group's claims.
Offeh, who has described himself as King Atehene, said in a video that the group would not recognise legal action to remove them. "We follow the laws of the creator — everything belongs to the ones who made it," he said. "We do not believe that any authority owns the land. The Earth belongs to the father." In another clip he said: "The Kingdom of Kubala cannot be destroyed... The creator of the Heavens and the Earth will fight for us. He is our protector. He is our fighter. Those who want to destroy the Kingdom of Kubala — the creator will destroy you."
Gasho has referred to herself as Queen Nandi and the trio have described Taylor as a handmaiden. They have said they are returning to reclaim a homeland they assert was lost following historic displacement, including a claim that ancestors were evicted from the Highlands in the late 16th century.
A Scottish Borders Council spokesman said the landowner had served notice requiring the site to be vacated and that, if the occupants did not leave, the owner would have to apply to court for an eviction order. "We understand they intend to take this step quickly," the spokesman said.
The encampment was initially set up on land owned by the council before the group moved to the privately owned woodland clearing, council and local reports said. The site has comprised second-hand tents and basic camping equipment; photographs and video show minimal furnishings, including a camping chair that the group has referred to as a throne.
Legal removal of people from private land in Scotland generally requires an order from a civil court when occupiers do not depart voluntarily. The landowner's next step, as indicated by the council, would be to obtain a court order and instruct officers to execute that order if it is granted.
Local reactions have been mixed. Some residents offered food and drink, while others questioned the group's claims and mental state. The group's online postings have drawn attention beyond the immediate area, prompting comment and debate on social media.
The landowner and council did not say when they would seek a court hearing, but both indicated the owner planned to move quickly to obtain legal authority to remove the occupants if they did not leave voluntarily. The trio say they will not recognise such action and continue to describe the site as part of their claimed northern kingdom.