Nigerian Navy Locks Down Calabar-Oron Waterway Over Kidnapping Surge
The Nigerian Navy has taken direct control of one of the country’s most dangerous waterways. A 13-hour daily curfew is now in force along the Calabar-Oron water channel in Cross River State, a route that has become a hunting ground for kidnappers, pirates, and armed militants in recent weeks.
The announcement came from Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, who confirmed that all vessel movement along the channel is now restricted from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. every day.
No boats, ferries or commercial watercraft are permitted to operate during those hours. Anyone who violates the curfew does so at their own risk.
The decision followed a sharp rise in violent crime along the waterway that shocked the entire country. On April 17, armed kidnappers ambushed a boat carrying passengers and abducted 15 people, many of them young students travelling to Akwa Ibom State to sit their University Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The attack drew immediate outrage from Nigerians and forced lawmakers in the Senate to call for emergency intervention.
The Navy responded with force. Personnel from Nigerian Navy Ship Victory and Forward Operating Base Ibaka launched a series of aggressive clearance operations on Dayspring Island, deep in the creeks where militant groups had been operating with little interference.
Troops moved quickly, forcing armed elements to abandon their positions and flee at the sight of advancing naval forces. Working alongside soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 13 Brigade, naval units then locked down key waterways and cut off the criminals’ freedom of movement.
Follow-up operations produced significant results. A militant hideout in the Idung axis, linked to a dangerous suspect known only as Juju, was discovered, raided, and completely demolished.
Two boats fitted with outboard engines were seized at the scene. A suspected informant believed to have been feeding intelligence to the militant network was tracked down and arrested.
The Navy also established a permanent forward security outpost at Idung I, also known as Peacock Crossing. This strategic position gives naval forces a permanent foothold in the creeks and allows them to monitor activity across the surrounding waterways around the clock.
Cross River State’s Special Adviser on Marine Services, Otu Ita, reiterated to the public that the 6:00 p.m. curfew is not a suggestion. Using unapproved shortcuts or travelling after dark on the Calabar-Oron route puts lives directly at risk. The Navy says it will not stand down until every criminal hiding in the creeks has been removed. #Nigerian Navy Locks Down Calabar-Oron Waterway Over Kidnapping Surge#
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