BY HELLEN MOJOKO
In the complex and often deadly landscape of the ongoing crisis in the South West and South West Regions, the line between humanitarian service and political suspicion has become perilously thin.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the disappearance of Nkewah Erick, a prominent health professional whose dual-threat pursuit by both state and non-state actors highlights the extreme risks faced by those serving on the medical frontlines.
Nkewah Erick, 38, is a highly regarded HIV Testing and Services (HTS) Consultant and a dedicated family man with a wife and four children. Residing in the high-security Government Residential Area (GRA) Up Station, Kumba, Meme Division of the South West Region, Nkewah’s professional life was defined by his role as the Focal Point for Community Health Activities, covering the geographically challenging Kumba North Health District.
Known for his “technical stamina” in reaching remote areas, his work required him to navigate sensitive territories to ensure that essential health services reached the most vulnerable populations. However, it is this very proximity to the grassroots that appears to have placed him in a lethal crossfire.
Investigations by our news desk, supported by sources close to security networks, indicate that Nkewah’s troubles with the state intensified due to a personal matter involving his spouse.
Reports suggest that state security forces made several attempts to compel Nkewah to provide intelligence regarding the whereabouts of his wife, who is suspected by the authorities of being affiliated with the Ambazonia separatist movement. Nkewah’s refusal to cooperate or implicate his wife has allegedly made him a person of interest for state intelligence, viewing his silence as a possible act of complicity.
Simultaneously, Nkewah found himself targeted by armed separatist groups operating within the South West Region. These groups have publicly declared him “Wanted,” branding him a “Blackleg”—a derogatory term for a government spy.
The separatists allege that Nkewah Erick’s residence in the GRA and his frequent travels into the interior to treat wounded persons were a cover for espionage. The accusations reached a breaking point following an incident on December 13, 2025. Separatist leaders allege that Nkewah provided the strategic intelligence that enabled security forces to locate and burn down their camps in the distant forests of Muyuka, Fako Division of the South West Region. They claim his professional neutrality was a mask for state-sponsored surveillance.
Trapped between the state’s demand for information and the separatists’ vow of vengeance, Nkewah Erick vanished shortly after the December events. His colleagues and family have lived in a state of constant fear since his disappearance, noting that in a conflict where both sides demand absolute loyalty, a neutral health worker often becomes the ultimate victim.
To this day, the whereabouts of Nkewah Erick remain unknown. Sources confirm that the search for the health consultant continues unabated, with both security forces and local networks still tracking his possible movements. His family has since relocated from their GRA residence, and his professional seat remains vacant.
The case of Nkewah Erick serves as a sobering reminder of the “scorch” of the Anglophone crisis, where even those carrying the “Hope of Glory” through medical healing are not immune to the fires of suspicion and pursuit.