Police launch rescue mission for 15 passengers abducted on Calabar–Oron waterway

The Cross River State Police Command has initiated a coordinated search-and-rescue operation following the abduction of 15 passengers on the Calabar–Oron waterway last Friday.

In a statement released on Monday, the command’s spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said the operation is being carried out in partnership with the Akwa Ibom Police Command and the Nigerian Navy.

“Coordinated search-and-rescue and tactical operations are currently ongoing to ensure the safe recovery of the victims and the swift apprehension of the perpetrators,” Eitokpah said.

A naval officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that gunmen ambushed the passenger ferry while it was en route from Calabar in Cross River to Oron in Akwa Ibom State.

The Calabar Oron waterway is a key inland maritime route that serves as a major alternative for both passengers and goods travelling across the lower Cross River and its creeks.

However, in recent years, the waterway has become notorious for piracy, kidnapping, and armed attacks, partly due to the dense mangroves and intricate creek networks that provide cover for criminal gangs.