Seventeen passengers travelling by boat from Oron in Akwa Ibom State to Calabar, Cross River State, have been abducted by pirates, deepening concerns over rising insecurity along Nigeria’s coastal routes.
The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident on Saturday, saying the attack occurred on Thursday shortly after the boat left Oron.
Deputy police public relations officer in the state, Igri Ewa, told reporters in Calabar that security operatives had begun efforts to rescue the victims. “The command is already working to ensure the prompt rescue of the passengers,” Ewa said.
He disclosed that a serving police officer from Akwa Ibom and a well-known Cross River politician, who were on board, narrowly escaped abduction.
A passenger who spoke on condition of anonymity said the pirates intercepted the vessel a few minutes after departure. “They stopped our boat, transferred some passengers to their boat, and when their boat was full, they took off. When we arrived at the Inland Waterways Jetty, the police questioned us and later took our statements,” the passenger recounted.
The incident is the second major abduction on the same route this year. In April, 20 passengers travelling from Oron to Calabar were taken by pirates.
The Oron–Calabar corridor has become notorious for kidnappings and piracy, forcing many travellers to rely on water transport because the Calabar–Itu Federal Highway remains in disrepair.
Local residents say the insecurity has devastated businesses. A boat owner from Ibaka community in Akwa Ibom told reporters that repeated pirate attacks have crippled fishing, the community’s main livelihood. “I have lost two outboard engines worth over N3 million each to sea pirates. We have tried ourselves, and our youths have also tried, but the more we try, the more the pirates attack us. This is our predicament. I appeal again to security agencies to sustain their operation at sea to curb these attacks,” he said.
The persistent attacks have also affected food supply, with rising prices of seafood, including crayfish, in Akwa Ibom markets.
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has repeatedly asked the federal government to establish a military battalion in the Oron axis, which comprises Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko, and Urue Offong/Uruko local government areas. “Most kidnappings happen and they go through the waters. If another battalion is sited in Oron, it would help us tackle this menace,” Eno said during a meeting with the former Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, in 2024.
The House of Representatives had earlier adopted a resolution calling for a military formation in the area after a motion by Oron federal constituency lawmaker Martins Esin, who blamed rising kidnappings and killings on inadequate security presence.
Despite these appeals, residents say the attacks have continued. In the past two years, victims have included a High Court judge, a medical doctor, a paramount ruler, and relatives of politicians.
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