Navy rescues Bayelsa commissioner, six others after boat accident; police officer missing
- A passenger boat travelling from Yenagoa to Akassa got into trouble in Abedigbene waters, Brass Local Government Area.
- The Navy's Forward Operating Base Formoso rescued Commissioner Ebiere Jones and six others with help from local divers.
- One police officer on board is still missing as search and rescue efforts continue.
The Nigerian Navy has rescued the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Mrs Ebiere Jones, and six other people after a passenger boat got into trouble in Abedigbene waters, Brass Local Government Area.
One person is still missing: a police officer who was on board. The Navy said search and rescue efforts are continuing.
The boat was travelling from Yenagoa to Akassa on Thursday when the incident happened, according to a statement by the Base Information Officer of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Formoso, SLT Joshua Dauda. The statement was made available to newsmen on Friday in Yenagoa.
Dauda said the rescue began after a local fisherman raised a distress report about the boat.
“Upon receiving the information, personnel of FOB FORMOSO swiftly mobilised to the incident location and immediately commenced search and rescue operations,” he said.
How the rescue happened
The operation was carried out by Navy personnel working with local divers and members of the Abedigbene fishing community. Seven of the eight people reported to be on board were rescued.
The survivors were the commissioner, an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and five other passengers. They were given first aid when they arrived at the houseboat, and early checks showed no visible injuries, Dauda said.
The commissioner and the other six survivors were taken to Yenagoa on Friday to be reunited with their families.
The Commanding Officer of FOB Formoso, Capt. Sunday Haruna, praised his personnel for responding quickly. He also thanked the local divers and the Abedigbene fishing community, saying the rescue showed how much can be achieved when security agencies and host communities work together.
He said the base will keep working to improve safety on the water and to strengthen its relationship with the communities around it.
Why it matters
Many Nigerians in the Niger Delta depend on boats to get to work, market, school and hospital, and river travel remains risky. Boat accidents are common on the creeks and rivers of Bayelsa, where roads are few and water is often the only route between communities.
For families in Brass and Akassa, the incident is a reminder of how quickly a routine journey can turn dangerous, and of how much the response depends on fishermen and divers who know the waters.
The Navy has not said what caused the accident.
What happens next
The search continues for the missing police officer. The Navy has not given further details on the circumstances of the accident.
