Personnel from Forward Operating Base Ibaka respond to distress call and save passengers travelling from Cameroon to Akwa Ibom

The Nigerian Navy, through personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka under the Eastern Naval Command, has rescued three passengers from a suspected sea robbery attack along the waterways of Akwa Ibom State during a routine night patrol.

Also read: Nigerian Navy Seizes 757kg Cannabis in Lagos

The operation, carried out on Tuesday, July 29, 2026, followed a distress alert received at about 9:30 p.m. from a passing boat reporting an ongoing attack around the Mbendoro waters. The swift response enabled naval personnel to intercept the scene and safely evacuate the victims.

The Nigerian Navy Rescues Three operation highlights the service’s continued efforts to strengthen maritime security and protect legitimate users of Nigeria’s coastal waterways, where sea robbery and piracy have posed persistent challenges in recent years.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Commanding Officer of FOB Ibaka, Navy Captain Adebowale Omotosho, the naval patrol team immediately diverted to the reported location after receiving the emergency call.

“The naval team immediately proceeded to the location, where they rescued a passenger boat loaded with tomatoes and its three occupants,” the statement said.

The Navy identified the rescued passengers as David Okon, Anietie Friday and David Edet.

According to the statement, the victims were travelling by boat from Cameroon to Oron in Akwa Ibom State when suspected sea robbers attacked their vessel.

Following the rescue, naval personnel escorted the passengers and their boat safely to the Forward Operating Base Ibaka, where they were received without any reported injuries.

“The successful operation underscores the Eastern Naval Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and securing Nigeria’s maritime domain through sustained surveillance and rapid response operations,” the statement added.

The command reaffirmed its determination to combat maritime crime and maintain a safe operating environment for fishermen, traders, transport operators and other lawful users of Nigeria’s territorial waters.

The rescue comes amid sustained efforts by the Nigerian Navy to improve security across the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria’s coastal waterways through increased patrols, intelligence-led operations and collaboration with other security agencies.

Although reported cases of piracy in the region have declined in recent years following enhanced maritime security initiatives, authorities continue to warn that sea robbery and other criminal activities remain threats in some coastal corridors.

Also read: Nigerian Navy Seizes 489kg of Cannabis in Lagos Raid

Security experts have repeatedly emphasised that rapid response capabilities and regular naval patrols are essential to protecting commercial activities and passenger movement along Nigeria’s inland and coastal waterways, particularly in border areas connecting neighbouring countries.