The Nigerian Navy has launched a sweeping offensive on Dayspring Island in Cross River State, dismantling militant positions and tightening control over the volatile Calabar–Oron waterways in a decisive security push.
Acting on intelligence linked to rising kidnappings and criminal incursions, naval forces under Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY and the Forward Operating Base at Ibaka executed a coordinated assault that shifted the security balance in the region.
The operation was reinforced by the establishment of a forward security outpost at Idung 1, also known as Peacock Crossing, providing a strategic launch point for sustained patrols and dominance across adjoining creeks.
Naval troops advanced swiftly, forcing suspected militants to abandon their camps and retreat under pressure, as the waterways came under firm military control in collaboration with troops of the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade.
In follow up clearance operations, forces uncovered and dismantled a major militant hideout reportedly linked to a notorious figure identified as Juju within the Idung axis, further weakening the network’s operational base.
The suspect fled during the raid, leaving behind two boats fitted with outboard engines, which were seized by troops, while the hideout was completely destroyed to prevent its reuse for criminal activities.
Security forces also arrested a suspected informant believed to have been aiding the militants with intelligence and logistics, with authorities confirming that the individual is in custody and undergoing interrogation ahead of prosecution.
To consolidate gains and restrict criminal mobility, authorities have imposed a 13 hour curfew on maritime movement within the area, running daily from 5 pm to 6 am.
Before the intervention, the waterways had become a corridor for kidnappings and extortion targeting riverine communities, but sustained naval pressure has now disrupted supply lines and forced criminal elements into retreat.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining an aggressive posture in the region, vowing to eliminate all threats and secure the maritime domain for legitimate economic activities.