Gunmen Kidnap 17 Passengers on Calabar–Oron Waterway

By Ekanem ASUQUO 

Seventeen passengers traveling on the Calabar–Oron waterway were abducted on Thursday by suspected sea pirates in Cross River State.

The attack occurred when gunmen intercepted a passenger boat operated by Sea Express Limited, which was ferrying about 30 people from Calabar to Oron in Akwa Ibom State.

Confirming the incident on Friday night, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Cross River State Police Command, DSP Igri Ewa, said security operatives were already on the trail of the kidnappers.

“We are aware of the abduction and are making efforts to rescue the victims. At the moment, no contact has been established with their abductors, but we are working round the clock to ensure their safe release,” Ewa said.

Relatives of those kidnapped expressed anxiety, noting that attempts to reach their loved ones had failed as their phones remained switched off.

A security source disclosed that the pirates took away 17 passengers because their boat could not accommodate more people. Among those who narrowly escaped was the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 Cross River election.