By Olugbenga Salami
The Senate on Thursday directed security agencies to immediately launch coordinated rescue operations to free at least 15 passengers abducted by suspected sea pirates along the Calabar–Oron waterways in the Niger Delta region.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance by Senator Ekong Sampson (APC Akwa Ibom South), who condemned the hijacking of a commercial ferry traveling from Calabar to Oron last Friday.
Presenting the motion, Sampson said armed pirates attacked the vessel mid‑sea and abducted passengers, including young Nigerians preparing for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination at gunpoint.
He described the incident as disturbing, noting that it has left families in distress and worsened insecurity in coastal communities across Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
According to him, eyewitnesses and local fishermen confirmed that the ferry was seized and at least 15 passengers were taken to unknown locations.
The Senate expressed concern over the growing vulnerability of the Calabar–Oron waterways, a key transport and economic corridor in the Niger Delta, to piracy and related crimes.
Lawmakers noted that persistent maritime insecurity, despite repeated assurances from security agencies, continues to erode public confidence and disrupt livelihoods in the region.
Adopting the motion, the Senate condemned the attack and abduction while extending sympathy to the victims’ families.
It urged the Chief of Naval Staff, the Inspector‑General of Police, and other relevant agencies to “immediately deploy coordinated search‑and‑rescue operations to secure the safe and unconditional release of all the abducted victims.”
The upper chamber further called on the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to intensify surveillance, patrols, and intelligence gathering across the waterways and adjoining creeks.
It also mandated its Committees on Navy, Marine Transport, and National Security and Intelligence to probe the rising spate of maritime insecurity in the Niger Delta and recommend lasting solutions.
The Senate equally directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to explore measures that would prevent candidates from traveling across states for the UTME, citing safety concerns.
Additionally, it urged the Federal Ministry of Works to expedite work on the Calabar–Itu–Odukpani highway to reduce reliance on water transport in the area.
Lawmakers warned that failure to decisively tackle insecurity on inland waterways could embolden criminal elements, disrupt commerce, and further endanger lives in Nigeria’s coastal regions.
