By Patrick Obia
Suspected militants have reportedly abducted fifteen (15) passengers who boarded a speed boat along the Calabar-Oron waterways.
The passengers were said to have departed Calabar terminal at about 5 pm on Thursday heading to Akwa-Ibom when the sea pirates intercepted the boat.
A family member of one of the victims who crave anonymity expressed worries for the sister who only touched down in Calabar before en route to Uyo.
The source called on relevant security agencies to deploy its arsenals and rescue the victims, adding that so far, no demand for ransom has been made by the kidnappers.
Meanwhile, a boat rider plying the route has lamented the incessant kidnaps and other attacks by sea pirates along the Calabar-Oron waterways.
The rider who wouldn’t want to be named said boat riders and passengers ply the route at their fate, disclosing that there is no week they do not encounter the well-armed militants who sometimes seize their boats and abduct passengers.
Another source told CrossRiverWatch that the Marine Police are operating skeletally due to the sophisticated long-range guns the pirate possessed.
In another development, a Bolt Driver identified as Francis Atabi has been reportedly hacked to death by car snatchers.
CrossRiverWatch gathered that the incident occurred at about 7 pm on Friday around Mary Slessor’s axis in Calabar Municipal Local Government of Cross River State.
Francis Atabi who hails from Afrike in Bekwarra LGA, was overwhelmed by the snatchers who pretended to be passengers.
His corpse has been deposited at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital’s morgue.
When contacted for both incidents, the Cross River State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo did not take nor return calls placed to her.
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