Navy Rescues 22 Passengers From Sea Robbers On Calabar-Oron-Ibaka Route

The Nigerian Navy says 22 passengers have been rescued after suspected sea robbers attacked a wooden boat on the Calabar-Oron-Ibaka waterway.

The boat was travelling from Henshaw Town Beach in Calabar to Utan Uyata, Ibaka, when five armed men in a speedboat intercepted it shortly after it passed Enwang community, according to the reports.

The operation involved personnel of the Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Operation Delta Safe Sector 4 and the Marine Police. Punch framed the route through Cross River, while Vanguard placed the rescue in Akwa Ibom; both accounts describe the same waterway, boat movement and 22 rescued passengers.

Navy Captain Adebowale Omotosho, the Commanding Officer of FOB Ibaka, said naval personnel launched patrols and set up a blockade after receiving intelligence. Vanguard quoted the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, as saying the response led to the recovery of the vessel.

The reports said 11 passengers were found after the attackers abandoned them at Asak-Ikang Creek, while another 11 passengers had escaped during the incident and were later accounted for.

The Navy said the suspected attackers fled towards Oron. The rescued passengers were taken for profiling and debriefing, while the recovered boat was secured by the authorities.

Sources: Punch, Vanguard