Maritime kidnappers foiled as naval forces save 22 captives off Cross River coast

The Nigerian Navy, in conjunction with Operation Delta Safe Sector 4 and the Marine Police, successfully rescued 22 passengers who were ambushed by suspected sea robbers along the Calabar-Oron-Ibaka waterway in Cross River State.

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This daring rescue mission was prompted by the hijacking of a wooden passenger boat en route from Henshaw Town Beach in Calabar to Utan Uyata, Ibaka, on Tuesday.

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Navy Capt. Adebowale Omotosho, Commanding Officer of the Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, revealed the details of the rescue operation in a statement issued on Thursday.

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According to the statement, the passenger boat was intercepted by five armed men in a speedboat shortly after passing the Enwang community, at which point the attackers took control of the vessel and its passengers.

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In response to intelligence reports, naval personnel swiftly launched sustained patrols and established a strategic naval blockade along the creek networks, as disclosed by Omotosho.

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The security operation ultimately forced the suspected kidnappers to abandon their captives and the hijacked boat at Asak-Ikang Creek on Wednesday, before fleeing in the direction of Oron.

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Naval personnel, in collaboration with other security agencies, promptly conducted a sweep of the creek and rescued 11 passengers who had been abandoned by the attackers.

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An additional 11 passengers who had managed to escape during the initial attack were later located and debriefed at the Operation Delta Safe Sector 4 command post, bringing the total number of accounted-for victims to 22.

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The rescued passengers were taken to the FOB Ibaka Sickbay for medical evaluation and first aid, and after being stabilised, they were escorted back to Calabar alongside the recovered passenger boat.

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The operation was conducted without the payment of any ransom, according to the Navy.

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Rear Admiral Chiedozie Okehie, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, reaffirmed the Navy's commitment to protecting Nigeria's maritime domain and ensuring the safety of citizens using the waterways, in response to the development.

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Okehie stated that the Navy would continue to sustain its patrols, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, and deploy timely intelligence to combat maritime criminality, while assuring law-abiding residents and passengers that the Navy remained committed to safeguarding the nation's waterways and protecting legitimate maritime activities.