Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Niger Delta activist, journalist and anti-corruption campaigner, Iteveh Nur’ Ekpokpobe, alongside his lawyer, Onyishi Chukwuemeka, in what associates describe as a calculated crackdown linked to powerful interests in the oil sector.
The arrests, which took place in Abuja on February 4, were allegedly carried out on the directive of Gbenga Komolafe, the recently removed Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Sources familiar with the operation told SaharaReporters that DSS operatives who carried out the arrest initially claimed they were acting on instructions from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), but later indicated that the action was taken on behalf of the former NUPRC boss.
The DSS reportedly accused Ekpokpobe and his lawyer of “cyberbullying”, a claim that has triggered outrage among civil rights advocates, who argue that the allegation is being used as a smokescreen to silence dissent and intimidate critics.
An associate of Ekpokpobe, who witnessed the arrest and spoke on condition of anonymity, described the detention as politically motivated and an abuse of state security machinery.
“Komolafe is allegedly leveraging his influence and relationships within the DSS leadership to harass and intimidate Ekpokpobe and even his lawyer,” the source said.
According to the source, Ekpokpobe had been at the forefront of protests and advocacy campaigns demanding a forensic probe into alleged corruption within the NUPRC under Komolafe’s leadership. These actions, the source noted, preceded Komolafe’s removal from office and the subsequent appointment of Ms Oritsemuyiwa Eyesan as the new head of the commission.
Ekpokpobe reportedly led a coalition of civil society organisations that accused the former NUPRC leadership of corruption, regulatory abuse, asset manipulation and revenue concealment. The coalition alleged that Nigeria lost over $20 billion through the misclassification and concealment of oil and gas assets, including several Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) and Oil Prospecting Licences (OPLs).
The group also accused the commission of unlawfully reducing oil block acreages, a move it said deprived the federation of billions of dollars in potential revenue.
Since his arrest, Ekpokpobe has allegedly been held incommunicado, with his lawyers denied access and no official confirmation of his condition or whereabouts. Seven days after the arrest, the DSS was said to have refused him contact with his family or legal representatives, forcing relatives and associates to rely on unverified assurances that he is safe.
The source described the detention as unlawful and a flagrant violation of due process.
“If any offence has been committed, the DSS should either release them immediately or hand them over to the police for proper investigation and prosecution. Holding them in secret is illegal,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the families of Ekpokpobe and Chukwuemeka have condemned the arrests, describing them as arbitrary and unconstitutional, and have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of both men.
As of the time of filing this report, the DSS had not issued any official statement explaining the basis for the arrests or the continued detention of the activist and his lawyer.
