Security forces have launched a joint operation after gunmen abducted 15 passengers during a ferry attack.
Armed attackers kidnapped 15 boat passengers in Cross River State after intercepting a ferry travelling along the Calabar-Oron waterways. The victims were reportedly taken during a pirate-style assault on April 16, 2026.
According to Police Zone 6 Command, the passengers were aboard a boat heading from Calabar to Oron when the gunmen struck.
Police spokesperson Jefferson Osupe said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 6, Auwal Mohammed, has ordered an immediate and sustained joint rescue mission.
The Commissioners of Police in Cross River and Akwa Ibom State have been directed to activate an intelligence-led interstate security framework to secure the release of the victims and arrest those responsible.
Authorities said the operation will involve close collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies. Teams are expected to increase patrols, dominate key waterways, and dismantle criminal networks operating in the coastal region.
The police chief also instructed commanders to set aside jurisdictional boundaries and deploy all tactical and intelligence resources needed for the mission.
The Calabar-Oron route is an important transport link used daily by traders, commuters, and travellers between Cross River and Akwa Ibom. However, concerns over maritime crime and piracy have persisted in some riverine areas.
Police condemned the attack and assured residents there would be no safe haven for criminals in Zone 6.
Search efforts are ongoing as authorities work to rescue the abducted passengers safely.
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