Gunmen Abduct 15 JAMB Candidates on Calabar-Oron Ferry

CROSS RIVER, Nigeria – Armed gunmen abducted at least 15 passengers, many of them JAMB candidates, along the Calabar-Oron waterway on Friday.

The victims were travelling aboard a commercial ferry loaded from Calabar in Cross River State heading to Oron in Akwa Ibom State when the attack occurred.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the assailants ambushed the vessel mid-water, intercepted it and whisked the passengers away to an unknown destination.

A naval officer who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident happened along the Oron waterway axis.

Indigenous content creator Goddymartinz also confirmed the abduction in a video post, drawing attention to the rising cases of kidnappings on the route.

A relative of one abducted JAMB candidate, who pleaded anonymity, told NaijaChoice News his younger brother left home Friday morning for an exam scheduled for 9am Saturday.

“My younger brother left the house since on Friday for Oron. We haven’t heard from him since then. We have been here at the beach but no one has information,” the relative said.

The Cross River State Police Command has neither confirmed nor denied the incident. Police spokesperson ASP Sunday Eitokpah said the Nigeria Police Force was in a better position to provide details.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official information on the whereabouts of the abducted passengers.

The Calabar-Oron waterway has witnessed repeated pirate attacks in recent times, raising fresh concerns among commuters, students and residents in the South-South region.