Akwa Ibom: Police rescue two kidnapped victims along Ibeno waterways
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command reported the successful rescue of two individuals kidnapped by sea pirates on September 30, 2026. The incident occurred along the waterways of Ibeno Local Government Area.
At a press conference held in Uyo on Friday, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Baba Azare identified the victims as a Nigerian and a Ghanaian national who were targeted while traveling toward the Atlantic Ocean.
Azare stated that personnel from the Asawana Mobile Police Base were swiftly deployed to the scene. Upon arrival, the operatives encountered the suspected pirates near the maritime boundary between Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
The commissioner noted that the suspected pirates abandoned their vessel and fled into a nearby creek, allowing the police to rescue the victims unharmed.
In addition to the rescue, police operations recovered several items at the scene, including a 200-horsepower outboard engine, a 40-horsepower outboard engine with a W23 flying boat, various smaller outboard engines, and a collection of containers, mobile phones, SIM cards, and other equipment.
Azare also announced the arrest of two men suspected of transformer vandalism in Etinan. The suspects, Chinedu Onwe, 31, from Ikwo LGA in Ebonyi State, and Enobong Jonah, 35, from Otoro Abak Village in Abak LGA, were apprehended with assistance from local community members.
Recovered items during that operation included transformer solenoids, a live cartridge, assorted electrical tools, a large steel cutter, a mobile phone, a tricycle believed to have been used in the transport of vandalized components, and a red minibus.
The commissioner praised the courage and professionalism of the officers involved in both operations and expressed gratitude to community members for their cooperation, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the police and the public in ensuring effective policing.
