The Nigerian Navy has disrupted a criminal extortion network operating along the Bonny Creek axis in Rivers State, restoring confidence among fishermen, commuters, and residents who had been subjected to persistent intimidation and illegal levies.
Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a press statement issued on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
According to the statement, the operation was conducted by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny in collaboration with troops of the Nigerian Army following credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements operating from a hideout in Asaramatoru Community.
The joint operation forced the suspected criminals to flee their camp, while troops recovered several operational items during a search of the hideout. The recovered exhibits included a 7.62mm empty magazine, the butt of a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), several ATM cards, and other materials considered valuable for intelligence purposes.
Community members informed security personnel that the criminal group had transformed the area into a safe haven from which they launched attacks on fishermen and commuters, extorted residents, and demanded a share of proceeds from market sales.
The Navy said the successful operation has disrupted the activities of the criminal syndicate and restored confidence among communities along the Bonny Creek corridor.
It added that intelligence gathered during the raid would support follow-up operations aimed at identifying, tracking, and dismantling the wider criminal network operating within the area.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations to safeguard coastal communities and prevent criminal elements from exploiting Nigeria’s waterways for kidnapping, sea robbery, extortion, and other unlawful activities.
