The Nigerian Navy said a kidnap victim, one Mr Raymond Ayibacake, has been rescued, after hoodlums whisked him away at Agba Agwat Asarama in Andoni Council of Rivers State.

The Navy also disclosed that two persons suspected to have a hand in the kidnap have been arrested.

Narrating his ordeal, Ayibacake, a captain of a local tugboat towing a barge from Ikot Abasi through the Bonny River, said that he was abducted by hoodlums who disguised as pipeline surveillance workers in the area.

The Guardian gathered that the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), in Bonny, Rivers State received information about active kidnap incident and responded to the crime scene, arresting two suspects, Mr. Francis Chukwu and Mr. Destiny Isaac Augustous, while other culprits fled.

A senior naval officer in Bonny, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident. He said the command is still in hot pursuit of four other suspects allegedly involved in the incident.

The naval officer said: “The Navy received an intelligence report that a kidnap was ongoing and immediately responded to the incident area.

“On sighting the team, the kidnappers quickly fled the scene through escape routes into surrounding bushes, abandoning the captain who was then rescued by the Navy.

“In a further effort to comb the area, the Navy intercepted and arrested two fleeing kidnappers after giving a hot pursuit during their escape.”

Meanwhile, on resumption of office, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (NNFOB), Bonny, Capt. Reginald Adoki, had assured that the Navy would continue to provide optimum security governance around the maritime environment, especially as the festive season approaches.