In the early hours of October 2, 2025, a scene unfolded in the quiet woodlands near Jedburgh, Scottish Borders, that few locals will soon forget. A self-styled African tribe, calling themselves the Kingdom of Kubala, was evicted from their encampment by a convoy of police, sheriff officers, and immigration enforcement agents. The dramatic operation—streamed live on TikTok to an audience of over 100,000 online followers—culminated in the arrest of two group members on suspicion of immigration offences, the BBC reported.
The Kingdom of Kubala is made up of three individuals: Kofi Offeh, 36, who refers to himself as King Atehene; his wife Jean Gasho, 43, known as Queen Nandi; and their “handmaiden,” Kaura Taylor, 21, who goes by Asnat. Their story, already the subject of widespread media attention, has sparked debate and concern both locally and internationally.
The group’s journey began in the spring of 2025, when Offeh and Gasho arrived in Jedburgh and set up camp on a hillside above the town. Taylor, originally from Texas, joined them later, having left her home in Dallas for what she believed was a new beginning. According to ITV News, Taylor was reported missing by her family in May, but was later discovered living in the Scottish woods with the couple. Her mother, Melba Whitehead, has since claimed that her daughter was “brainwashed” and “groomed” online, urging authorities to deport her back to the United States.
“She’s totally brainwashed. This is a cult,” Whitehead told Sky News. “The first thing a cult is known to do is separate you from those that love you. This isn’t just another young adult rebelling. The difference is she’s under someone else’s spell in another country.” Whitehead maintains that Taylor was only 19 when she left America for a one-way ticket to the UK, and that the group used her vulnerable state and lack of funds to draw her in. “They utilised the fact that she was angry to encourage her to get away. They used the fact she was penniless. They utilised the funds that they had at their disposal to send for her. They made that happen,” Whitehead added, as cited by The Independent.
The Kubala trio’s presence in Jedburgh has been contentious from the start. They claimed the woodland as their own, asserting they were “reclaiming what was taken from their ancestors 400 years ago.” Their refusal to recognize the authority of local courts and law enforcement only heightened tensions with residents. The group’s activities and interactions with locals—some of which were documented and shared on social media—led to a series of altercations and growing unease in the community, according to STV News.
Legal proceedings quickly followed. In September 2025, the group was served an eviction notice for occupying private land. Rather than leaving the area, they moved their campsite over a fence to an adjacent plot owned by the Scottish Borders Council. However, their attempt to circumvent the order was short-lived. On October 1, Sheriff Peter Paterson at Selkirk Sheriff Court ruled that the trio could not return to the original private land. A further court order barred them from all council-owned land in the area, including the site where they were then staying.
Despite these rulings, the Kingdom of Kubala appeared undeterred. They continued to reside in their makeshift woodland home, streaming their daily lives and legal battles to a growing online audience. But the law was closing in. By Thursday morning, a police cordon had been set up around the camp, keeping journalists and onlookers at bay. At around 8:00 a.m., a convoy of police, sheriff's officers, and immigration officials swept into the woods, as described by BBC Scotland reporter Cameron Buttle. Drone footage captured uniformed officers entering the camp, and soon after, the live stream showed Offeh and Taylor being led away in handcuffs. Gasho, meanwhile, left quietly in the back of a pickup truck, her head covered.
Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton, deputy leader of Scottish Borders Council, described the eviction as the culmination of a long and challenging process. “It has been a long effort by the local council, police and other services to achieve this outcome,” Hamilton told the BBC. “It is the absolute right outcome today. The locals have had to put up with a great deal with this. There are businesses operating from here—they have been put under a huge amount of pressure over the last few months. We have had to work through the courts and the law process and that does take its time but ultimately we have achieved the right outcome.”
The site was immediately cleared by council workers, who dismantled the camp and loaded the group’s belongings—blankets, clothes, food, and other personal effects—into refuse trucks. By mid-morning, nothing remained of the self-declared Kingdom of Kubala except for rows of black bin bags and the marks of a brief, contested occupation.
While the operation was largely peaceful, it was not without drama. Footage circulated on social media showed an altercation between a group member and a visitor to the site, illustrating the simmering tensions that had built up over months. According to Police Scotland, officers “attended and spoke with those involved” but did not comment further on the specifics of the incident.
The Home Office, when approached for comment, stated, “It would not be appropriate to comment while an investigation is ongoing.” Police Scotland confirmed their role in the operation, saying, “We assisted our partner agencies in the Oxnan Road area of Jedburgh on Thursday, October 2, 2025.”
The story of the Kingdom of Kubala has raised difficult questions about land rights, immigration, and the power of online communities to shape real-world events. The group’s claim to ancestral lands, while not recognized by the courts, resonated with some online followers, sparking debate about colonial history and identity. Locally, however, the focus remained on the rule of law and the impact on the Jedburgh community.
For now, the fate of Offeh, Gasho, and Taylor is uncertain. With two members facing possible immigration charges and an ongoing investigation, their future in Scotland hangs in the balance. The woodland that once housed their “kingdom” has returned to silence—its brief moment in the global spotlight now just another chapter in the complex story of borders, belonging, and the search for home.
