The Nigerian Navy has rescued 22 passengers who were abducted by suspected sea robbers after their wooden passenger boat was hijacked along the Calabar–Oron–Ibaka waterway in Akwa Ibom State.
The passengers were rescued following a coordinated operation by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka, in collaboration with Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) Sector 4 and the Marine Police. The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement at the weekend.
Hijacking Incident and Immediate Response
According to Folorunsho, the incident occurred on August 11, 2026, when the passenger boat, travelling from Henshaw Town Beach in Calabar to Utan Uyata, Ibaka, was intercepted by armed sea robbers shortly after passing Enwang Community. The assailants hijacked the vessel and abducted its passengers, prompting personnel of FOB Ibaka, in collaboration with OPDS Sector 4 and the Marine Police, to launch a coordinated operation to locate the victims and recover the boat.
The operation resulted in the recovery of the hijacked passenger boat and the rescue of 11 victims who had been abandoned by the suspected criminals at Asak-Ikang Creek. Folorunsho added that another 11 passengers who had escaped during the attack were later located and accounted for at the OPDS Sector 4 command post, bringing the total number of rescued and accounted-for victims to 22.
Medical Care and Safe Return
The rescued passengers were taken to the FOB Ibaka Sickbay for medical assessment and first aid before arrangements were made for their safe return to Calabar alongside the recovered boat. Folorunsho said no ransom was paid for the release of the victims.
Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chidozie Okehie, reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining robust maritime security operations and strengthening collaboration with other security agencies. The successful rescue underscores the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in tackling maritime crime in the region.
