Seventeen passengers kidnapped by gunmen on the Calabar–Oron waterway in southern Nigeria have been freed and reunited with their families, the Navy announced on Wednesday.
Navy spokesperson Lt.-Cdr. Sulaiman Bala said the victims were rescued on Monday during an operation coordinated by the Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY, supported by Forward Operating Base Ibaka.
“The Nigerian Navy Air Arm conducted multiple aerial surveillance missions, while intelligence from the DSS and DIA enabled us to cut off logistics to the kidnappers’ camp,” Bala said.
He confirmed that no ransom was paid. The abducted passengers, seized on 25 September, were taken for medical examination at the Naval Reference Hospital in Calabar before being released to their families.
Bala said the rescue was achieved after sustained pressure forced the abductors to accept negotiations mediated by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He warned that the Navy would maintain its crackdown on criminal networks operating in Cross River waters to ensure safe travel for citizens.
