The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone Six, Calabar, AIG Auwal Musa Mohammed, has directed the Commissioners of Police in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States to immediately deploy personnel and operational assets for the rescue of 15 passengers kidnapped along the Calabar–Oron waterway.
The passengers were abducted during a pirate attack on Friday, three days ago, along the busy maritime route. Most of the victims are reported to be students travelling from Cross River to Akwa Ibom to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations when the attack occurred.
Following the incident, both state commands confirmed receipt of the directive and commenced coordinated rescue efforts in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies.
In its response, the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said it had intensified operations along the waterways and adjoining creeks to track down the abductors and ensure the safe release of the victims.
Acting on the AIG’s directive, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, ordered sustained intelligence-driven operations, including coordinated patrols, surveillance, and targeted raids across identified criminal hideouts within the maritime corridor.
“The Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safe rescue of all abducted persons and bringing the perpetrators to justice,” the statement read.
The Command also warned that it would, in synergy with sister security agencies, leave no stone unturned in flushing out criminal elements operating on the waterways.
Similarly, the Cross River State Police Command confirmed ongoing joint operations with the Akwa Ibom Command and the Nigerian Navy. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said coordinated search-and-rescue operations had already been activated to secure the release of the victims and apprehend those responsible.
The AIG’s directive further mandated both Commissioners of Police to establish a robust, intelligence-driven inter-state security framework aimed at ensuring swift rescue operations and dismantling criminal networks operating along the waterways.
He stressed the need for seamless collaboration among security agencies, instructing that jurisdictional boundaries should not hinder operational efficiency in achieving the mission.
The directive described the rescue of the abducted passengers as a top operational priority, with a firm warning that security forces must pursue the perpetrators relentlessly until justice is achieved and maritime safety is restored in the zone.
