BY SOLOMON OKPO
A high-level security operation has been activated across the South-South region following the abduction of 15 passengers by suspected sea pirates along the Calabar–Oron waterway.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 6, Auwal Musa Mohammed, has directed Commissioners of Police in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states to immediately deploy all available resources toward rescuing the victims.
The passengers, reportedly mostly students travelling from Cross River to Akwa Ibom to participate in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations, were kidnapped on Friday, April 17, 2026, in a brazen attack that has heightened concerns over maritime insecurity in the region.
In compliance with the directive, the Akwa Ibom State Police Command confirmed that it has intensified joint operations with its Cross River counterpart and the Nigerian Navy to secure the release of the victims.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, the Command has deployed a combination of marine, tactical, and intelligence assets to dominate the waterways and adjoining creeks where the criminals are believed to be operating.
The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Baba Mohammed Azare, has also ordered sustained intelligence-led operations, including coordinated patrols, surveillance missions, and targeted raids on suspected criminal hideouts within the maritime corridor.
“The Command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safe rescue of all abducted persons and bringing the perpetrators to justice,” the statement emphasized.
Similarly, the Cross River State Police Command, through its spokesperson Eitokpah Sunday Akata, confirmed ongoing joint search-and-rescue operations, noting that inter-agency collaboration has been strengthened to ensure swift recovery of the victims.
The AIG’s directive underscores a rare but decisive move to eliminate jurisdictional barriers, mandating both state commands to operate under a unified, intelligence-driven framework. The operation is being executed in close coordination with other security agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating along the waterways.
Security authorities have assured the public that efforts are being intensified to restore confidence in maritime transportation, stressing that the perpetrators will be relentlessly pursued until all victims are safely rescued and justice served.
