NIGERIA: Tension Grips Adagom Refugee Settlement as Prominent Community Leader, Nfor Victor Nkeh is Arrested Amid Alleged Witch Hunt

By Wilson Musa in Buea, with corresponding reports from Adagom Refugee Settlement.

Ogoja, Nigeria- Serious tension is mounting within the Cameroonian refugee community in Cross River State, Nigeria, following the controversial and allegedly arbitrary arrest of Nfor Victor, a prominent refugee community leader and director of the humanitarian organization GROOFLINE.
Victor was arrested on Tuesday May 19, 2026, by Nigerian police in Igoli, Ogoja, and remains in detention.

The arrest has triggered widespread outrage and panic, with community members pointing to a deep-seated conspiracy, internal power struggles, and ethnic-fueled jealousy within the settlement, CNA learned.

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.

“So, this is not the first time that someone has been arrested by the Police but this is a high stake conspiracy,” a Refugee confided to CNA.

The latest crisis traces back to a major Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) contract awarded to Nfor Victor’s organization, 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 out of the Adagom 3 settlement, did not sit well with some factions in Adagom 1.

According to leaked communications obtained by the Cameroon News Agency, 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 political motive behind Victor’s sudden legal troubles. Victor had recently submitted his candidacy to become a member of the prestigious Refugee Advisory Board, a powerful body that acts as a liaison between the refugee population, international donors, and the Nigerian government.

The outgoing member of this board is Pastor Cheng Laba, another high-profile Cameroonian refugee. In a shocking twist, inside sources allege that Pastor Laban is the primary driver behind the “investigation” that led to Victor’s arrest.

Crucially, reports indicate that Laban’s investigation was never officially authorized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or any formal governing body. This has left the refugee community highly suspicious, with many openly accusing Pastor Laban of conducting a targeted political witch-hunt to eliminate a formidable rival and protect his own sphere of influence.

The recent case which took Victor to the Police concern a Panel he gave out to a Refugee which was allegedly sold to another person. Victor said he had already handed it out and had nothing to do with the sale. But Pastor Cheng Laban allegedly brought up another case of missing Generator, asking the Police to investigate Victor for negligence.

It is not alaos clear under which circumstances did the Police arrest 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 organization 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 recognized 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.

UN and Caritas Face Heavy Criticism for Silence.

As Nfor Victor languishes in a police cell in Igoli, the international community’s response has drawn sharp condemnation from refugees. Both the United Nations and Caritas, a primary implementing partner in the camp, have reportedly done nothing to secure Victor’s release or demand a transparent review of the unauthorized allegations.
The local community is now calling out these global agencies for failing to protect a human rights defender and community leader who was working directly under their mandate.

“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.

This is not the first time Victor Nfor Nkeh had been in trouble. Years back, he was found in his home beaten to near death by people who are yet to be identified.

As the situation unfolds, the Cameroon News Agency will continue to monitor whether the UNHCR and Nigerian authorities will step in to halt what many are calling a blatant abuse of power and a coordinated conspiracy against one of Adagom’s most vital leaders.