The Nigerian Navy says it has rescued two people abducted by suspected sea robbers and recovered several stolen outboard engines in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State.
The operation was carried out on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, following intelligence about suspected criminals targeting fishermen and stealing their boats and engines.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the Nigerian Navy Ship JUBILEE Maritime Quick Response Team in Ibeno was deployed to the area after receiving the information.
The Navy said the team successfully rescued the two victims and retrieved several outboard engines believed to have been stolen by the criminals.
It described the operation as part of its ongoing efforts to protect lives and legitimate maritime activities along Nigeria’s waterways.
The Navy said, “The successful operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s sustained commitment to Search and Rescue, the protection of lives and the security of legitimate maritime activities across Nigeria’s waters.”
It also called on fishermen, coastal communities and other maritime stakeholders to provide security agencies with timely and credible information on suspicious activities.
The Navy said community cooperation remained essential to preventing maritime crimes and enabling security personnel to respond quickly to people in distress.
It added that it would sustain proactive patrols, search-and-rescue operations and intelligence-led interventions to protect lives and property while restricting the activities of criminals on the nation’s waterways.
