Gunmen ambush passenger boat, kidnap 15 in C’River

Gunmen abducted at least 15 passengers along the Calabar–Oron waterway in Cross River State on Friday.

NGGOSSIPS Metro gathered on Monday that coordinated search-and-rescue and tactical operations are ongoing to secure the victims’ release.

The victims were kidnapped while travelling by water aboard a Sea Express boat en route from Calabar to Oron, prompting a joint security operation involving multiple agencies.

The Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, confirmed that the command had activated coordinated rescue efforts in collaboration with other security agencies.

He noted that the police were working closely with the Akwa Ibom State Police Command and the Nigerian Navy to ensure the victims’ safe return.

“With respect to the alleged abduction of fifteen passengers aboard a Sea Express boat en route from Calabar to Oron on Friday, the command is working in close synergy with the Akwa Ibom State Police Command and the Nigerian Navy,” he said.

He added that operations were already underway to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“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 stated.

While details surrounding the attack remain sketchy, the police assured the public that updates would be provided as operations progress, urging residents to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information that could aid the rescue mission.

Similarly, the News Agency of Nigeria quoted a naval officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that the gunmen ambushed the passenger ferry during the journey.

The boat had departed Calabar, Cross River State, and was heading to Oron in Akwa Ibom State when the incident occurred.

The Calabar–Oron waterway is a key inland maritime route linking Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, serving as an important corridor for passenger and goods movement across the lower reaches of the Cross River and its creeks.

In recent years, however, the route has become notorious for piracy, kidnappings, and armed attacks on passenger ferries, largely due to the network of creeks and mangroves that provide cover for criminal elements.