Security Forces Intensify Search for Abducted Travellers on Calabar Waterway Route
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
CALABAR, Nigeria – Security agencies intensify a coordinated search for 15 travellers abducted by armed men along the Calabar–Oron waterway, as concerns grow over rising maritime insecurity in southern Nigeria.
Police and naval personnel from Cross River and Akwa Ibom states launch a joint rescue operation following the Friday attack.
Spokesperson of the Cross River State Police Command, Sunday Eitokpah, confirms the ongoing efforts in a statement on Sunday.
“Combined search-and-rescue operations are underway to secure the safe return of the victims and apprehend those responsible,” he says.
Preliminary reports indicate that the gunmen intercept a passenger boat travelling between Calabar and Oron, forcing occupants into captivity.
The waterway, a key transport corridor for commuters and traders, has witnessed a rise in piracy and kidnapping incidents in recent months.
Security officials say inter-agency collaboration is critical to improving response capacity and tracking criminal networks operating along coastal routes.
“We are working closely with relevant agencies to strengthen the operation and ensure success,” Eitokpah adds.
Residents and regular users of the route express growing anxiety, calling for sustained security presence to deter further attacks.
Authorities assure that operations will continue until all victims are rescued and perpetrators brought to justice.
Analysts warn that unchecked maritime crime could disrupt economic activities and endanger livelihoods dependent on inland waterways.
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Hussaini Ibrahim