The Nigerian Navy has disrupted a criminal extortion network operating along the Bonny Creek axis of Rivers State, restoring confidence among fishermen, commuters and other waterway users who had been subjected to persistent intimidation and illegal levies.
According to an official statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation was carried out by personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny in conjunction with troops of the Nigerian Army following credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements operating from a hideout in Asaramatoru Community.
The statement disclosed that the operation forced the suspected criminals to abandon their hideout, while a subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of a 7.62mm empty magazine, the butt of a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), several Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and other items considered to be of intelligence value.
According to the statement, engagement with members of the community revealed that the criminal syndicate had turned the area into a safe haven from which it launched attacks on fishermen and commuters while extorting residents and demanding proceeds from market sales.
The operation has since restored confidence among residents of the affected communities and significantly disrupted the activities of the criminal group operating within the Bonny Creek corridor.
The statement further noted that the operation yielded valuable intelligence that will support follow-up operations aimed at identifying, tracking and dismantling the wider criminal network operating in the area.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations, protecting coastal communities and denying criminal elements the opportunity to exploit Nigeria’s waterways for kidnapping, sea robbery, extortion and other criminal activities.
