Police, Navy launch joint operation to rescue kidnapped travellers on Calabar-Oron waterways
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has commenced a joint operation with the Cross River State Command and the Nigerian Navy to rescue victims abducted along the Calabar-Oron waterways. The
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has commenced a joint operation with the Cross River State Command and the Nigerian Navy to rescue victims abducted along the Calabar-Oron waterways.
The victims, reported to be travellers including candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), were allegedly kidnapped by suspected sea pirates over the weekend.
Police spokesperson in the state, DSP Timfon John, disclosed in a statement that security agencies are intensifying efforts to secure the victims’ release and apprehend those responsible for the incident.
The statement read, “The State Police Command, in close synergy with the Cross River State Police Command and the Nigerian Navy, has deployed a formidable combination of marine, tactical, and intelligence assets to dominate the waterways and adjoining creeks, with a view to tracking down the criminals and securing the safe release of the victims.
"Acting on the directive of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6, AIG Auwal Musa Mohammed, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed, has ordered sustained, intelligence-driven operations, including coordinated patrols, surveillance, and targeted raids across identified criminal hideouts within the maritime corridor".
The statement further stated that the CP has "reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safe rescue of all abducted persons and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
"He warned that the Command, in collaboration with sister security agencies, will leave no stone unturned in flushing out criminal elements from the waterways.
"Members of the public, especially residents of riverine communities, are urged to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and timely information that could aid ongoing operations.”
