- Nigerians lament, “nowhere is safe!
Nigeria’s escalating kidnapping crisis is taking a dangerous new turn, spilling from highways onto waterways, after gunmen abducted at least 15 passengers from a ferry in southern Nigeria, authorities confirmed.
Police say the victims were seized Friday when armed attackers ambushed a commercial boat traveling along the busy Calabar–Oron water route, a key link between Calabar and Oron.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force in Cross River State, Sunday Eitokpah, confirmed the abduction, saying a joint operation involving police and naval forces is underway.
“We are working in collaboration with sister agencies, including the Navy,” he said. “Search-and-rescue and tactical operations are ongoing to secure the victims’ release and apprehend the perpetrators.”
A Route Under Siege
The Calabar–Oron waterways have increasingly become a hotspot for criminal attacks, underscoring a broader shift in Nigeria’s security landscape.
With large sections of the Calabar–Itu highway in disrepair, many commuters have turned to water transport, only to encounter a new wave of insecurity.
The latest incident is part of a troubling pattern. In September 2025, 17 passengers were abducted along the same route. Months earlier, in April, another 20 travellers were seized in a similar attack.
Security analysts warn that the migration of kidnapping operations to waterways signals an adaptive criminal network exploiting weak surveillance and limited patrol coverage.
Highway Violence Continues
The ferry abduction came as a separate, deadly attack unfolded on one of Nigeria’s major highways, highlighting the scale of the threat.
In Edo State, gunmen ambushed a commercial bus along the Benin–Ore axis of the Benin–Lagos highway, killing the driver and abducting an unspecified number of passengers.
The vehicle, operated by GUO Transport, was reportedly intercepted as it travelled from Lagos toward eastern Nigeria.
Witness accounts and a widely circulated video suggest the attackers opened fire to force the vehicle to a stop before dragging passengers into nearby forested areas.
Police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem confirmed the attack, saying officers have launched a coordinated manhunt.
“Bush-combing operations are ongoing within the jurisdiction of the Iguobazuwa division,” she said, adding that additional units have been deployed to support rescue efforts.
A Widening Security Crisis
Kidnapping for ransom has become one of Nigeria’s most pervasive security challenges, affecting travellers, students, clerics, and rural communities alike.
But the expansion into waterways marks a significant escalation, one that raises fresh concerns about the country’s ability to secure critical transport corridors.
With both highways and rivers now under threat, analysts warn that the crisis is no longer confined to isolated cases but reflects a broader breakdown in transit security infrastructure.
For many Nigerians, the implication is stark: routes once seen as alternatives to danger are rapidly becoming part of the same risk landscape.
