“15 Vehicles and No Checkpoints Stopped Them: Family Raises Questions About Government Ekpemupolo in Korubo Kidnap Claims”
By Paul Ebi
A dramatic and troubling allegation has emerged from the Niger Delta as a man claiming to be the younger brother of missing community operative Charles Korubo has accused several influential figures of orchestrating a violent plot that allegedly led to his brother’s kidnapping and disappearance.
In a lengthy statement circulating online, the brother alleged that Charles Korubo—described as a grassroots operative who once participated in anti-oil bunkering operations linked to Tantita Security Services—was abducted on November 19, 2024, following a long-running dispute involving money, political influence and control of local security contracts.
According to the account, Charles had been actively involved in early anti-bunkering surveillance activities in creeks across the Niger Delta. The brother claimed Charles and other youths endured violent resistance from illegal oil bunkerers during operations in communities such as Ondeware.
“We faced militants who shot at us with rifles. We slept in open fields under rain and sun for days just to complete the mission,” the brother alleged.
Dispute Over Payments
The controversy reportedly began after Charles participated in political mobilization efforts linked to the election campaign of former Bayelsa governor Timipre Sylva and political figure Joshua Maciver. Following the election loss, the brother alleged that disagreements erupted over payments related to security work connected to Tantita.
The statement claimed that when Charles sought payment for work allegedly carried out, the request was ignored by those he contacted within the security structure.
The brother further alleged that tensions escalated when Charles reportedly refused to participate in what he described as a scheme to manipulate anti-bunkering operations for media publicity. According to him, Charles resisted any effort to mislead vessel operators or stage incidents that could later be presented publicly as successful enforcement actions.
Alleged Assassination Attempts
The family claims that after the dispute intensified, a notorious armed figure identified as Ediseimokumo Korokoro allegedly began pursuing Charles.
One of the most serious incidents, the brother said, occurred when Charles traveled to Oporoza to meet prominent Niger Delta leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
While returning from the meeting with a group of youths, the brother claimed the group received intelligence about a planned ambush along the Gbaraun route leading to Opoi community.
“They planned to eliminate everyone traveling with him,” he alleged.
The group reportedly avoided the attack after receiving a warning and staying overnight in another state.
Arrest and Rising Pressure
The statement further alleged that Charles later encountered the suspected attacker again during a burial ceremony in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. According to the brother, the suspect allegedly attacked Charles but was arrested by security personnel and handed over to the Joint Task Force.
However, the arrest allegedly triggered pressure from influential individuals urging Charles to release the suspect.
The brother claimed Charles refused.He also alleged that during interrogation the suspect confessed that he had been sent to kill Charles. These claims have not been independently verified.
Alleged Kidnapping by Relative
Months after the incident, the family claims Charles was kidnapped in what they described as a coordinated operation.
The brother alleged that the operation was organized by Charles’ own cousin, Jacob Korubo, also known as Don J, who allegedly promised to deliver Charles in exchange for financial rewards, control of a local Tantita security contract and recognition as a traditional title holder in the Apoi clan.
According to the statement, about 15 vehicles allegedly participated in the operation.“They beat him, tortured him and took him away in a convoy,” the brother claimed.
The brother also alleged that the convoy moved through multiple security checkpoints without interference and eventually headed toward Oporoza in Delta State.
Family Still Searching for Answers
Since the day of the alleged abduction, the family says they have had no contact with Charles Korubo and do not know whether he is alive.The brother claims Charles may be held somewhere in Oporoza, though no official confirmation of this claim has been provided.
The family has now appealed to Nigerian authorities, security agencies and the international community to investigate the disappearance.
“Charles was the only breadwinner in our family. His children, wives, mother and younger siblings depend on him,” the brother said in an emotional appeal.
Calls for Investigation
The allegations also include claims that security personnel may have assisted the convoy and that the pipeline protection system in the Niger Delta has been abused to intimidate critics. These claims remain unverified and have not been confirmed by authorities.
At the time of filing this report, the individuals mentioned in the allegations had not publicly responded to the accusations.
Security agencies including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, and other relevant authorities have also not issued official statements regarding the disappearance.
The case is already generating debate across the Niger Delta, with community members and activists calling for an independent investigation into the fate of Charles Korubo and the wider allegations surrounding the incident.
Observers say the case, if proven, could raise serious concerns about security operations, political influence and accountability in the region.
