Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (NNFOB) in Bonny, Rivers State, rescued 11 stranded passengers in an outboard engine-powered speedboat, which was sinking due to leakage along the Bonny River.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday by NNFOB’s Base Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sirajo Almustapha, the rescue operation took place at about 1pm on Tuesday close to the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne, Rivers State.
“On Tuesday 4 November, 2025, at 1300, while conducting routine escort duties around Onne general area, FOB BONNY armed personnel observed a distressed passenger boat experiencing severe water ingress. The boat had 21 passengers onboard at the time of the incident.
“The passenger boat was reported to have departed Nembe Waterside Jetty Port Harcourt at 1250, heading to Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island.
“The passenger boat developed an engine malfunction leading to water ingress. The large number of passengers in the boat further exacerbated the water ingress.
“Accordingly, FOB BONNY armed personnel rescued 11 passengers comprising 6 males and 5 females in order to lighten the boat while repair of the engine continued,” statement said.
Almustapha said it was noteworthy that the rescue operation was conducted under heavy rainfall, disclosing that the rescued passengers were conveyed to Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Bonny Jetty.
He stated that the passengers were debriefed at the NNFOB Bonny before they were handed over to a representative of the Marine Police, Bonny, Friday Nyeche, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, at 3:40pm for them to be reunited with their families.
Almustapha further explained that the passenger boat’s engines were subsequently rectified at 3:58pm, allowing the boat driver along with the remaining 10 passengers to proceed to Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island.
“FOB BONNY would sustain efforts towards ensuring the safety and security of the waterways within the area of operations for legal economic and commercial activities to thrive,” he assured.
Almustapha stressed that the rescue operation was part of various operational activities and tasks aimed at “actualising the operational objectives of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal).
“Some of these operational activities include routine patrols, anti-crude oil theft, anti-illegal bunkering, anti-kidnapping as well as search and rescue operations,” he noted.
