Cameroon Football Crisis: Top Officials Implicated in Coordinated Campaign Against Samuel Eto’o

The leaked conversations, which span multiple days and are believed to involve Alain Mankolo Nyaka (ex-DSHN) and Cyrille Tollo Batoum (current technical adviser at the sports ministry), provide insight into a premeditated and deeply coordinated effort to destroy Eto’o’s image, erode his influence within the national football setup, and implicate him in scandals that could land him in legal trouble.

► Deliberate Sabotage of National Matches

The plot reportedly included plans to orchestrate a defeat during the Cameroon vs Namibia match in Garoua, using goalkeeper André Onana as a willing accomplice. The leaked messages suggest Onana was tasked with encouraging a player strike while Eto’o was being blamed for technical and logistical failures.

"We’ve already called up players without clubs to cover the numbers. We told the coach to put Onana first in line..."

Vincent Aboubakar, team captain, is referred to in demeaning terms and is intentionally kept in the dark to avoid resistance to the plan to hand captaincy over to Onana.

► Espionage and State Surveillance

Far more disturbing is the alleged use of state intelligence services to monitor Samuel Eto’o’s movements and private communications. The leak refers to the DGRE (external intelligence), SGPR (General Secretariat of the Presidency), and the police and gendarmerie, reportedly mobilized to “build a case” against Eto’o, using tactics that border on political espionage.

"He is being followed… we are doing everything so he falls this time,"

► CAF Manipulations and Regional Lobbying

The messages also mention an alleged failed attempt to bribe CAF officials to have Eto’o banned from all football-related activities.

"We prepared something big for the SG of CAF… but in the end, he got a fine..."

Seidou Mbombo Njoya is mentioned in connection with the scheme, accused of using his network and allegedly collecting money under false pretenses.

► “Embarrass the Little One” — The Smoking Gun

The tone of the leaked texts is overtly hostile, referring to Eto’o dismissively as “the little one” and stating clearly:

"We need something big to embarrass him… everything is ready to make sure he falls."

► Coaching Sabotage and Faked Staff Conflicts

Other exchanges expose efforts to confuse and destabilize the national team’s technical bench, including pressure on the head coach to comply with internal power struggles. A shadow “dual-staff” approach was even discussed to sow confusion and compromise Eto’o’s leadership in the run-up to international competitions.

A Dangerous Conspiracy That Risks National Integrity

This is no longer a simple football feud. What these leaked conversations show is a well-oiled machinery of state-connected actors weaponizing intelligence services, manipulating international sports institutions, and jeopardizing national interest just to remove one man — Samuel Eto’o — from power.

Cameroon Concord is closely monitoring this situation. Further investigation is underway to verify the full scale of institutional involvement, and to determine whether President Biya is aware of — or implicated in — this destructive scheme.

"When state actors weaponize football and footballers for political score-settling, it is no longer sport. It is treason."
— Cameroon Concord Editorial Board