A man identifying himself as the younger brother of Charles Korubo has come forward with a detailed and emotional account alleging betrayal, assassination attempts and eventual kidnapping that led to the mysterious disappearance of his brother.

Speaking in a lengthy statement, the man described Charles Korubo as a key grassroots operative who played a significant role in early operations supporting Tantita Security’s efforts to combat illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta.

According to him, Charles and his team—including several younger siblings—worked tirelessly in difficult and dangerous conditions to establish anti-bunkering surveillance in remote creeks. He said one of the most intense operations took place in Ondeware community where bunkers allegedly resisted the anti-bunkering activities.

“We faced violent attacks from militants who shot at us with rifles,” the brother recalled. “The Joint Task Force that accompanied us saw the pressure we endured. But despite everything, we continued until we succeeded.”

The team reportedly spent two weeks in the area under extremely harsh conditions.

 “We slept in the open field with no shelter,” he said. “Rain and sun beat down on us. We stayed under a canopy for days, determined to complete the mission.”

After the operation, Charles Korubo was reportedly assigned to support political activities connected to former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva and Joshua Maciver during an election campaign. According to the account, Charles worked extensively during the campaign period but the candidates eventually lost the election.

Following the defeat, the brother claims a dispute arose over payments for work Charles had allegedly carried out under the Tantita security arrangement.

The brother alleged that Joshua Maciver refused to pay Charles the work he had done, prompting Charles to escalate the matter to Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo. When no response came, the issue was reportedly taken to Keston Pondi, the MD of Tantita Security Service, but the brother claims the complaint was again ignored.

According to the statement, the dispute soon turned dangerous.

The brother alleges that Joshua Maciver hired a notorious criminal known as Ediseimokumo Korokoro to eliminate Charles Korubo. 

However, he added that other accounts suggested another reason behind the alleged plot. According to those claims, Charles had refused to participate in a scheme involving the manipulation of anti-bunkering operations. The brother said Charles refused to deceive vessel owners involved in oil activities so that their vessels could later be destroyed and used as media propaganda to portray successful anti-bunkering operations for Tantita Security.

“He refused to participate in deceiving vessel owners so their boats would be destroyed just to create media propaganda,” he alleged. “That refusal made Tompolo and Joshua Maciver very angry.”

According to him, the Ediseimokumo korokoro then began relentlessly pursuing Charles. One of the most serious incidents allegedly occurred after Charles traveled to Oporoza to meet Tompolo in an effort to resolve the dispute. While returning from the meeting with a group of 47 youths who accompanied him, the brother said the suspected attacker received information about Charles’ movements from Oporoza.

“They positioned themselves along the Gbaraun route leading to Opoi,” he said. “Their intention was to ambush Charles and eliminate everyone traveling with him.”

However, Charles reportedly received a tip-off about the planned attack. Instead of returning home that night, they stayed in Delta State. “The next morning we learned the man had been waiting to attack us,” he said.

According to the brother, when the ambush failed, the suspected attacker later went to Apoi community searching for Charles. "Attached Pictures of Ediseimokumo korokoro and his boys with guns in the community" Residents of the community reportedly refused to cooperate with him, leading to threats against members of the community.

Charles later reported the threats to both Tompolo and Joshua Maciver, but the brother claims no action was taken. “Eventually it became clear that the same people he reported to were the ones who had sent the Ediseimokumo korokoro after him,” he alleged.

In another dramatic turn following an incident involving a coordinator identified as “Chiefo.” According to the brother, Chiefo had allegedly been sent by Tompolo and Joshua Maciver to carry out an attack on his own brother. The confrontation reportedly resulted in a gun battle in which both Chiefo and his brother died.

During the burial ceremony for Chiefo in Yenagoa, Charles Korubo reportedly encountered Ediseimokumo Korokoro again in yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The brother alleges that the suspect attacked Charles during the event. This time, Charles managed to contact security personnel who responded and arrested the suspected attacker. The man was then handed over to the Joint Task Force.

But the arrest allegedly triggered intense pressure from powerful figures. According to the brother, politicians and influential individuals—including Tompolo, Keston Pondi and Joshua Maciver—began urging Charles to release the suspect.

Charles refused.

The brother claims that during interrogation the suspect confessed that he had been sent to kill Charles by Tompolo and Maciver. “He begged Charles for forgiveness,” the brother said. “But Charles refused to release him.”

Pressure reportedly intensified. According to the brother, Tompolo allegedly gave Charles 24 hours to release the suspect or face consequences. Another call allegedly came from Senior Maciver. “He told Charles that since he refused to release the suspect, they would soon keep him in a place where he would not be able to speak and where nobody would find him,” the brother claimed.

Months later, the brother says their worst fears became reality. On November 19, 2024, Charles Korubo was allegedly kidnapped in a carefully coordinated operation.

The brother claims the operation was orchestrated by Charles’ own cousin, Jacob Korubo, popularly known as Don J. According to the account, Jacob allegedly approached Joshua Maciver with a proposal.

He reportedly told Maciver that Charles was “just a small boy” and could easily be kidnapped if he was given money. In return, Jacob allegedly demanded two major rewards: control of the Tantita security contract in Apoi community and recognition as the Ibininawei traditional leader of the Apoi clan.

The brother claims the deal was accepted. Soon after, about 15 vehicles were allegedly deployed for the operation. “On that day they kidnapped Charles,” he said.

According to the account, Charles was beaten, tortured and seriously injured during the abduction. His vehicle was destroyed and he was taken away on a convoy. Attached is the Charles Korubo vehicle destroyed. 

The brother claims the convoy first stopped at Joshua Maciver house before continuing to Oporoza. He also alleges that security personnel assisted the convoy.

“Nigerian security agents who should protect lives and property were part of the people who escorted them,” he claimed.

He said the convoy reportedly passed through multiple military checkpoints without being questioned. “When their leaders pass, the checkpoints clear the road,” he alleged. “Nobody can challenge them.”

The brother believes Charles was eventually taken to Oporoza. Since that day, the brother says the family has not seen or heard from Charles. “We don’t know whether he is alive or dead,” he said. He alleged that Charles may be held in a private detention facility controlled by Tompolo in Oporoza.

The brother also accused powerful actors in the region of silencing critics and detaining youths who refuse to cooperate with them. In an emotional appeal, he said the disappearance of Charles has devastated the family. “Every Christmas they celebrate while we cry,” he said. “Charles was the only breadwinner in our family.”

He questioned what has happened to the people who depended on Charles. “What about his children? His wives? His mother? His younger siblings? The boys he was supporting?” he asked.

The brother also criticized the federal government for awarding pipeline protection contracts to Tompolo he believes are abusing the system. The pipeline protection contract in the Niger Delta is currently handled by Tantita Security Services, a private company associated with Tompolo. According to the brother, the contract has been used in abusing human rights, running of private prison, kidnapping and killings of innocent Niger Deltans because of the backing og government.

He alleged that access to the work now depends on loyalty and obedience. “If you don’t serve them or their juju, you cannot benefit from the pipeline job,” he said. He also accused Tompolo of turning the system into what he described as “advanced slave trade” in the Niger Delta.

The brother further alleged that after Charles Korubo was kidnapped, Government Ekpemupolo allegedly spent large sums of money to secure the release of Ediseimokumo Korokoro so he could move freely. He said that since the Tinubu Administration have failed to hold people like Tompolo accountable for alleged acts of kidnapping and violence against Niger Delta youths, the family take the Charles Korubo case specially to the international community in search of justice.

He concluded with a warning that those he accused—including Tompolo, Keston Pondi, Joshua Maciver, Sylvester Maciver, Jacob Korubo and others—would eventually face divine judgment.