The recent abduction of 17 passengers by suspected sea pirates along the Calabar waterways has raised concerns about safety in Nigeria’s waterways.
The abduction occurred on Thursday when gunmen hijacked a commercial passenger boat, Sea Express Limited, ferrying about 30 people from Calabar to Oron.
The attackers took 17 passengers, reportedly due to capacity constraints on their getaway boat.
The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident, assuring that efforts to rescue the victims were ongoing.
The Deputy Public Relations Officer, DSP Igri Ewa said, “We are aware of the abduction and are making efforts to rescue the victims. No contact has been made by their abductors yet.
“The police are investigating the incident and patrol gunboats have been deployed to track down the assailants and rescue the victims.
“As I speak with you, there is a joint effort of the marine police and other security agencies to rescue the victims.”
It was not the first incident of its kind in the region. In April, suspected pirates kidnapped 20 passengers along the Akwa Ibom-Cross River waterways, demanding a ransom of ₦100 million.
These incidents highlight the need for enhanced security measures to protect passengers and prevent future attacks.
Stories of passengers being kidnapped are said to be on the increase along the waterways in the region.
On April 5, 2025, a story trended about how suspected sea pirates abducted five passengers travelling in a commercial boat along the Degema-Akuku-Toru route in Rivers State.
Again, on April 18, this year, there was another story of about 20 passengers who were said to have been abducted along the Akwa Ibom-Cross River waterways, with reports of a ransom demand.
