Police Rescue Ghanaian Fisherman, Others From Sea Pirates In Akwa Ibom

Marine Police operatives on the coastal waters of Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have rescued a Ghanaian fisherman and others abducted by suspected sea pirates.

Disclosing this to journalists at the command headquarters in Ikot Akpanabia, Uyo, the state capital, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said the victims were rescued following credible intelligence provided by local residents.

“The command successfully rescued victims of an alleged sea piracy and abduction incident along the waterways of Ibeno Local Government Area,” she stated.

According to John, a group of fishermen, including a Ghanaian national, was attacked and abducted by suspected sea pirates while travelling towards the Atlantic Ocean.

She said personnel of the Asawana Mobile Police Base were immediately mobilised to the area following the information and subsequently encountered the suspected pirates around the ocean boundary between Akwa Ibom and Rivers states, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.

“The suspected pirates eventually abandoned their boat and escaped into a nearby creek, while the police successfully rescued the victims unharmed,” she said.

John said the items recovered from the scene included one 200HP outboard engine, one 40HP outboard engine with a W23 flying boat, five 40HP outboard engines, three 9.9HP outboard engines, five containers of mixed PMS, four empty containers, three gas cylinders, mobile phones, 29 SIM cards, one power bank, one starter motor battery, one torchlight and an identity card bearing a NIN number, among other items.

The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, commended the officers involved in the operation and urged them to sustain their vigilance and prompt response to emergencies.

Azare also appreciated members of the affected communities whose timely information and cooperation contributed to the rescue operation.

He warned individuals and criminal networks involved in critical infrastructure vandalism, sea piracy, abduction and other violent crimes that the command would continue to identify and prosecute offenders within the ambit of the law.

The commissioner reiterated that all suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible, timely information to the police through appropriate channels, and advised members of the public not to confront suspected criminals or take the law into their own hands.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, preventing and detecting crime, maintaining public order and ensuring the safety of residents.