Nigerian Navy Intensifies Offensive Against Criminal Networks, Destroys Militant Camp in Cross River

Nigerian Navy Intensifies Offensive Against Criminal Networks, Destroys Militant Camp in Cross River

NNS Victory continues sustained pressure on militant elements as troops recover weapons, military gear, and intelligence documents in Bakassi LGA operation

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory has sustained its offensive against militant elements in Cross River State, destroying another suspected camp at the Ine Ikoridung coastal settlement in Bakassi Local Government Area. The raid, conducted on August 2, 2026, followed credible intelligence indicating that militants had relocated to the remote settlement after sustained patrols forced them out of their former base at Dayspring Island. This operation represents the latest phase in a broader campaign by the Nigerian Navy to dismantle militant networks and restore safety to the Calabar waterways and surrounding maritime environment.

According to a statement by the Base Information Officer, Lt. Com. Sulaiman Bala, troops moved into the creeks aboard NNS Victory patrol gunboats. On sighting the approaching vessels, the suspects fled, prompting naval personnel to cordon off the area and conduct thorough searches of the identified huts. The operation yielded significant recoveries, including five empty cartridges, one military camouflage vest, one police camouflage vest, one military pullover, one pair of military jungle boots, and a notebook containing records of suspected militant fighters and the correctional facilities where they are serving prison terms. To deny criminals future safe havens, troops destroyed the identified huts in the settlement.

READ ALSO:

• Power Struggle Threatens Peter Obi-Kwankwaso Alliance Ahead of 2027 Polls
• Gumi: Clerics who join politics are better than those praying for politicians
• FRSC Boss: Tinubu’s CNG, EV Drive Creating Jobs, Attracting Investment

Lt. Com. Bala noted that the relocation of the group to a remote coastal settlement was a direct result of continuous operational pressure from the Nigerian Navy, which is restricting their freedom of action and forcing them to abandon established hideouts. He stated that the relocation of the group to a remote coastal settlement is a result of continuous operational pressure from the Nigerian Navy, which is restricting their freedom of action and forcing them to abandon established hideouts. He added that NNS Victory would continue to sustain maximum pressure on criminal elements until total security is restored to the maritime environment.

This latest operation forms part of a wider offensive targeting not just militant fighters but also the financial and logistical networks that sustain their activities. In a related operation on Dayspring Island in June 2026, naval personnel disrupted a suspected militant financing network operating within the Ini Abasi fishing settlement in Akpabuyo Local Government Area. During that operation, troops recovered several wraps of suspected cannabis sativa and a handwritten ledger containing names and monetary entries amounting to ₦5.529 million. The Director of Naval Information, Commodore Abiodun Folorunsho, explained that preliminary assessments suggested the document was used to record illegal levies imposed on fishermen and maritime transport operators in the area. The proceeds from these extortion activities were believed to serve as a significant source of funding for militant operations and other criminal enterprises within the Dayspring Island axis. By targeting illicit revenue streams, the Nigerian Navy continues to degrade the operational capability of criminal elements and deny them the resources required to sustain their activities.

The Nigerian Navy has maintained a sustained presence in the Calabar waterways, with NNS Victory conducting multiple operations against militancy, piracy, smuggling, and illegal oil bunkering in the region. In May 2026, naval personnel launched a major offensive against militants and kidnappers along the Calabar-Oron channel, destroying a hideout linked to a wanted militant kingpin known as “Juju” on Dayspring Island. That operation, conducted in collaboration with troops of the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade, forced suspected militants to flee their camps while securing key waterways and restricting their movement. The Navy has also targeted support networks, recently handing over a suspected militant collaborator, Mr Ubong Clement, to the Department of State Services (DSS) in Cross River State. Intelligence linked the suspect to a notorious militant identified as Steven Joseph, alias “Juju,” and revealed that he allegedly acted as a conduit for the disposal of goods stolen from market boats intercepted by militants.

Following operations, naval personnel have consistently engaged community leaders and residents, reassuring them of the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to maintaining a sustained security presence and conducting intelligence-driven operations aimed at restoring lasting peace within the waterways. The Navy reaffirmed its resolve to sustain aggressive patrols, targeted raids, and community-focused engagements to eliminate criminal elements, disrupt their support networks, and ensure that legitimate economic activities thrive within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Nigerian Navy Intensifies Offensive Against Criminal Networks, Destroys Militant Camp in Cross River