Ogoja: Serious tension is mounting within the Cameroonian refugee community in Cross River State, Nigeria, following the controversial and allegedly arbitrary arrest of Nfor Victor Nkeh, a prominent refugee community leader and director of the humanitarian organisation, GROOFLINE. Nkeh was arrested on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, by Nigerian police in Igoli, Ogoja, and remains in detention. According to Cameroon News Agency, the arrest has triggered widespread outrage and panic, with community members pointing to a deep-seated conspiracy, internal power struggles, and fueled jealousy within the settlement. The Background: A Settlement Divided by Resources The Adagom 1 refugee settlement, located in Cross River State, has been home to thousands of Anglophone Cameroonian refugees who fled the ongoing socio-political crisis in their homeland since 2018. Over the years, resource allocation and leadership roles have occasionally sparked friction among the displaced population. A refugee confided to CNA, 'So, this i s not the first time that someone has been arrested by the Police, but this is a high-stakes conspiracy.' The latest crisis traces back to a major Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) contract awarded to Nfor Victor's organisation, GROOFLINE, by the United Nations (UN) and its international partners. The decision to hand over WASH management in the entire settlement, including Adagom 1 settlement, to Victor, who is originally based in Adagom 3 settlement, did not sit well with some factions in Adagom 1. According to leaked communications obtained by CNA, elements within Adagom 1 openly revolted against the appointment, repeatedly questioning why 'someone from Adagom 3 should be in charge of water in Adagom 1.' They have also been speaking heavily on this in their different social media interactions. Someone CNA spoke to believes these deep-rooted grievances laid the groundwork for a setup. The Advisory Board Race and Allegations of a Witch-Hunt Beyond the UN contracts, sources reveal a high-stakes politi cal motive behind Nkeh's sudden legal troubles. He had recently submitted his candidacy to serve on the prestigious Refugee Advisory Board, a powerful body that serves as a liaison among the refugee population, international donors, and the Nigerian government. There are reports that some refugees who are against his candidacy have been working in the background to frustrate his efforts. The recent case which took Victor to the police concerned a Solar Panel he gave out to a refugee, which was allegedly sold to another person. Nfor Victor Nkeh said he had already handed it out and had nothing to do with the sale. But some refugees allegedly brought up another case of a missing Generator, asking the Police to investigate him for negligence. It is also not clear under which circumstances the police arrested Victor without a warrant and without the competent authorities in charge of Refugees filing a complaint. A community leader who spoke to CNA based on anonymity strongly condemned the arrest as arbitrary and warned of a severe humanitarian and security vacuum. 'It is especially concerning that a Director of an organisation entrusted with managing UNHCR-supported assets could be detained in a manner that appears arbitrary, without due consideration of what becomes of those assets still under his control,' the leader said. There are also concerns that with Victor removed and in a Police cell, millions of Naira worth of UN-supported water infrastructure is left unmanaged. The leader warned of a high risk of deliberate sabotage by Victor's detractors, who may later try to unfairly pin the blame on him. Victor is widely recognised not just as a contractor, but as a community leader who has dedicated himself to serving both refugees and Nigerian host communities. His absence is already causing distress and instability. Role of UN and Caritas The UNHCR visited the Igoli Police station to see Victor and get to the root of the matter. After hearing the statements, UNHCR allegedly asked that the matter be taken to court for a fair trial and a conclusion to be obtained. But a local leader said locking up Victor was not an appropriate thing to do: 'It would have been more appropriate to invite him for questioning and conduct thorough investigations. before resorting to detention, if detention was deemed necessary at all,' the CIG founder said. This is not the first time Victor Nfor Nkeh has been in trouble. Years back, he was found in his home beaten to near death by people who are yet to be identified. When contacted, Nfor Victor Nkeh said he will not speak at the moment because he believes the protection unit in charge of Refugees, the police, and the court would handle the matter. 'Victor has built a good reputation here, so we will not let him down,' a community leader said shortly after the case was sent to court on Thursday afternoon.
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