Gunboats In Hot Pursuit: Navy Foils Sea Robbery, Rescues 16 Passengers On Ibaka–bakassi Route

The Nigerian Navy on Sunday foiled a suspected sea robbery and kidnap attempt on a passenger boat travelling from Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State to Bakassi in Cameroon, rescuing all 16 passengers onboard after a brief but intense confrontation with armed criminals.

The incident, which occurred at about 3:50 p.m., triggered a rapid response from naval personnel at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka following distress reports of an ongoing attack along the busy cross-border maritime corridor.

Naval gunboats were immediately deployed to the scene to intercept the assailants and deny them operational freedom on the waterways linking Nigeria and Cameroon.

Upon arrival, the naval team engaged the suspected sea robbers in a firefight, forcing the criminals to abandon their mission and retreat into the shallow creeks that dot the coastal terrain.

The swift intervention disrupted what authorities believe could have escalated into a full-scale robbery or kidnap operation targeting passengers on the commercial boat.

Following the confrontation, naval personnel secured the distressed vessel and confirmed that all 16 passengers aboard were safe and in good condition, with no casualties recorded during the incident.

The Navy subsequently escorted the rescued boat and its passengers towards the Nigeria–Cameroon maritime boundary, from where the vessel continued its journey to its destination under improved security conditions.

Security officials noted that the rapid response by FOB Ibaka underscores the operational readiness of naval forces stationed along the strategic Ibaka–Calabar waterways.

The Navy further disclosed that sustained patrols and surveillance operations in the region have significantly curtailed the activities of sea robbers and other maritime criminals operating within the coastal creeks.

In the last four months alone, naval patrol units under the Eastern Naval Command have successfully foiled at least three attempted sea robbery and kidnap incidents, reinforcing the service’s commitment to safeguarding maritime trade routes and protecting lives at sea.