One week after the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (NNFOB) launched an anti-kidnap for ransom operation which saw its operatives raiding several criminal hideouts around the Bonny-Port Harcourt sea route, no incident has been recorded.

The kidnap incidents appeared to have been happening every day between Isaka Community in Port Harcourt LGA and Onne in Eleme LGA, both in Rivers State, until the operation was launched.  

The abduction of 10 Port Harcourt-bound passengers on Monday, September 10, 2024 close to the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne in Eleme LGA of Rivers State triggered the onslaught by the Forward Operating Base, Bonny.

Five days later, the abductees were released by their captors, who abandoned them after collecting ransom from their families.  

They were subsequently conveyed to back to Bonny and reconciled with their respective families after receiving medical care at the NNFOB Clinic at Akiama Community in Bonny LGA, Rivers State.

Nonetheless, the FOB sustained its raids on identified hideouts, combing for the hoodlums terrorizing travelers utilizing the Bonny River to Port Harcorut, the Rivers State capital.

Commanding Officer of the NNFOB, Capt. Maksum Mohammed told Kristina Reports in Bonny that the anti-kidnap for ransom squad will sustain its operations until all criminal elements in the area are fished out, their hideouts decimated and their sponsors apprehended and made to face the law.

He assured travelers sailing to and from Bonny of their safety, noting that though sustaining the operations was cost-intensive, the safety and wellbeing of Nigerian citizens utilizing the waterways outweighs all other considerations.

Chairman of Bonny LGA, Anengi Claude-Wilcox had also called for broadbased stakeholder synergy to tame the miscreants disturbing the sea route, assuring residents of Bonny LGA of her administration’s determination to make the waterways safe and secure for travelers.

In a statement by her Chief Press Secretary, Boma Waribor, the Bonny LGA boss asserted that no cost would be considered and no challenge would be too much to bear in her adminstration’s efforts to protect the lives and properties of the people of the area.

Meanwhile, some concerned youths recently staged a protest in Port Harcourt demanding an intervention by the Federal and State Governments in ensuring the waterways are safe for travelers.

They demanded among other things the supply of gunboats and other critical and strategic resources necessary for the security operatives to do their job of providing ongoing security on the waterways.

Bonny Island is host to several high end economic assets of the Federal Government such as the NLNG gas liquefaction plant and Train 7 project, Shell Nigeria’s oil and gas terminal, ExxonMobil’s river terminal, and BelemaOil’s crude oil facility, amongst others.

Experts say these facilities cumulatively account for about 4% of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The Bonny River, which is the impacted area, is regarded as strategic to the Gulf of Guinea security corridor as several marine vessels utilize it to access the inland waterways into Nigeria’s South-Eastern economic region with Port Harcourt as the focal point.