Panic has gripped the Calabar–Oron axis of Cross River State following the abduction of no fewer than 15 passengers by gunmen who ambushed a commercial boat along the busy water route.
The victims were reportedly seized on Friday while travelling aboard a Sea Express vessel from Calabar to Oron, in an attack that has again exposed growing insecurity on the inland waterway.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Cross River State, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed that a coordinated rescue operation had been launched to secure the victims’ freedom.
He said the Nigeria Police Force in Cross River was working in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Command and the Nigerian Navy to track down the assailants.
Eitokpah noted that tactical operations were already underway, expressing confidence that the victims would be rescued and those behind the attack brought to justice.
He urged residents to remain calm and support ongoing efforts by providing useful information that could aid security agencies in their operation.
Sources familiar with the incident said the attackers struck mid-journey, intercepting the passenger boat after it departed Calabar en route to Oron in Akwa Ibom State.
Although details of the attack remain unclear, maritime sources described it as a calculated ambush, raising fresh concerns over the safety of commuters along the route.
The Calabar–Oron waterway, a major link between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, has in recent years witnessed a surge in criminal activities, including kidnappings and sea robberies, largely attributed to the difficult terrain of creeks and mangroves that provide hideouts for criminal gangs.
The latest attack has heightened fears among regular users of the route, with calls mounting for intensified security patrols to curb the rising wave of violence on the waterways.