Brig. General Samaila Uba Assumes Office as New Director of Defence Information, Pledges Transparency, Unity, and Innovation in Military Communication

The Nigerian Navy has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime environment through a series of successful rescue and anti-crude oil theft operations across the Niger Delta region.

In a statement by Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, Director of Information, the Navy disclosed that personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, rescued 11 passengers from a sinking speedboat along the Bonny River.

The speedboat, which departed Nembe Waterside Jetty in Port Harcourt en route to Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island, reportedly developed engine failure midstream and began taking in water near the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne, Rivers State. 

The swift intervention of the FOB Bonny patrol team, despite heavy rainfall, averted a potential tragedy. All 11 passengers—six males and five females—were rescued safely and taken to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Jetty for medical checks before being handed over to the Marine Police for reunification with their families

In a related development, the Navy intensified its fight against crude oil theft with the deactivation of several illegal refining sites across the region on Wednesday, 5 November 2025.

At Obodo Omadino Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, personnel of FOB Escravos dismantled two illegal refining sites. Similarly, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER patrol team uncovered and deactivated another site containing three cooking ovens, six reservoirs, sacks, jerrycans, and dugout pits filled with stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil around Bakana and Isaka areas of Rivers State.

Additionally, FOB Bonny personnel dismantled an active illegal refining site at Eyamba Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, while the NNS DELTA patrol team deactivated another at Opumani Creek in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State.

Commodore Adams-Aliu noted that these operations highlight the Nigerian Navy’s renewed efforts under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), to ensure maritime safety, protect critical national assets, and promote lawful economic activities while sustaining the fight against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes.

He urged members of the public to continue supporting the Navy’s operations aimed at ensuring peace and stability within Nigeria’s maritime domain.