Press Release
Twenty-two passengers abducted by suspected sea pirates after hijacking their wooden passenger boat along the Calabar–Oron–Ibaka waterway in Akwa Ibom State, have been rescued.
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, who stated this in a statement at the weekend, said the incident took place on August 11, 2026.
According to him, the passengers, travelling from Henshaw Town Beach in Calabar to Utan Uyata, Ibaka, were abducted when their boat was intercepted by armed sea robbers shortly after passing Enwang Community.
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He said the assailants hijacked the vessel and abducted its passengers, prompting personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka, in collaboration with Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) Sector 4 and the Marine Police, to launch a coordinated operation to locate the victims and recover the boat.
The Navy’s spokesperson said 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.
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.
”No ransom was paid for the release of the victims,” Folorunsho said.
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.
