Nigerian Navy Foils Sea Robbery, Rescues 16 Passengers in Ibaka–Calabar Channel

By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters

The Nigerian Navy has successfully thwarted a suspected sea robbery attack and rescued 16 passengers after armed criminals intercepted a civilian boat along the Ibaka–Calabar Channel in a swift maritime security operation on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

The dramatic rescue followed credible intelligence indicating suspicious criminal activity around Buoy 12 along the strategic maritime corridor linking Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State and Calabar. Acting promptly on the intelligence, naval authorities deployed gunboats from the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base Ibaka to intercept the suspected sea robbers and restore order within the channel.

According to naval sources, the patrol team encountered suspected sea robbers who had already seized a fibre passenger boat conveying civilians from Ibaka to Bakassi in Cameroon. The criminals reportedly held the passengers hostage with plans to kidnap them into the creeks.

However, the swift arrival of the naval gunboats forced a confrontation that disrupted the criminals’ plan. In a decisive show of operational readiness, the naval personnel engaged the suspects, successfully rescued the hostages and compelled the criminals to abandon their operation and flee into the shallow creeks surrounding the channel.

The intervention led to the safe recovery of the fibre boat and all 16 passengers who had been held captive. Authorities confirmed that all the rescued passengers were unharmed and in good health.

Following the rescue, naval personnel escorted the passengers to the Nigeria–Cameroon maritime border to ensure their safe passage and continuation of their journey in line with standard operational procedures.

The successful operation underscores the sustained operational presence of the Nigerian Navy in safeguarding the country’s maritime environment and combating criminal activities at sea.

It also aligns with the strategic vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla aimed at developing a modern, agile and professional naval force capable of protecting Nigeria’s maritime interests and advancing national security objectives.

Maritime security experts note that the Ibaka–Calabar corridor remains a critical route for cross-border movement and commercial activities, making sustained naval surveillance essential to deter criminal elements.

The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s territorial waters remain safe for maritime transportation, commercial trade and legitimate economic activities. It also reassured maritime stakeholders and the general public of its continued resolve to combat maritime crimes, protect lives and property at sea, and maintain a secure maritime environment.