By Augustine Aminu
The Nigerian Navy has intensified security operations across Cross River’s coastal waterways to combat kidnapping, militancy, crude oil theft and other forms of maritime crime threatening residents and economic activities.
The waterways, which connect several coastal communities to the Atlantic Ocean, are vital to fishing, farming, transportation and trade. However, increasing reports of criminal activities along some routes have raised concerns over the safety of residents, passengers, fishermen and traders.
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) VICTORY, under the Eastern Naval Command, has been at the forefront of efforts to improve security in the state’s maritime environment.
Cross River has an extensive coastline and a complex network of rivers, creeks and channels. While these waterways provide essential transportation links to communities that are difficult to access by road, their difficult terrain can also provide opportunities for criminals to move, hide and launch attacks.
Residents Raise Concerns Over Maritime Insecurity
Residents of Ine-Utang Day Spring Peninsula in Bakassi Local Government Area have expressed concerns over alleged attacks by militants, including harassment, assault and the theft of food, money and other valuables.
A resident, Mr Happiness Asuquo, said the reported activities of the attackers had made life increasingly difficult for people in the community.
> “These people also take money from us and have made our lives miserable,” he said.
The security challenges have also affected passengers travelling along the Calabar-Oron water channel, which connects Cross River with neighbouring Akwa Ibom State.
The route has reportedly become increasingly important to commuters because of the poor condition of the Calabar-Itu Federal Highway, while its growing use has also attracted criminal elements.
Available accounts indicate that at least 52 passengers were abducted in three separate incidents along the route between April 2025 and April 2026.
In April 2026, gunmen reportedly ambushed a commercial passenger boat and abducted 15 passengers, many of whom were students travelling to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In September 2025, another commercial ferry was reportedly intercepted, resulting in the abduction of 17 passengers. Some victims were allegedly forced into the creeks after the attackers’ escape boat became overcrowded.
Earlier, in April 2025, gunmen reportedly intercepted a transit vessel along the waterway and abducted 20 passengers.
The incidents have heightened concerns over the safety of legitimate users of Cross River’s waterways.
Gulf of Guinea Faces Wider Maritime Security Threat
The security situation in Cross River is part of a broader maritime-security challenge in the Gulf of Guinea.
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), 21 piracy and armed-robbery incidents were reported in the Gulf of Guinea in 2025, compared with 18 in 2024 and 22 in 2023.
The IMB also recorded the kidnapping of 23 crew members in four separate incidents in the region in 2025, as well as three hostages and one injured crew member.
Globally, 137 piracy and armed-robbery incidents against ships were recorded in 2025, compared with 116 in 2024.
The IMB further reported that 25 crew members were kidnapped globally in 2025, compared with 12 in 2024, highlighting the continuing risks faced by people operating on waterways and at sea.
Regional Cooperation Considered Key
Maritime-security stakeholders have continued to emphasise sustained naval patrols, intelligence sharing and regional cooperation as important measures for tackling piracy and other maritime crimes.
A major regional framework is the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, adopted in 2013 by 25 West and Central African countries to combat piracy, armed robbery against ships and other illicit maritime activities.
The framework promotes cooperation, information sharing, capacity building and coordination among participating countries and regional institutions.
In November 2025, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the Republic of Korea also launched a $3 million SMART-C Maritime Security and Counter-Piracy Project, aimed at strengthening the capacity of Gulf of Guinea coastal states to combat piracy and other maritime crimes.
Technology is also increasingly being incorporated into maritime-security operations. Stakeholders have identified satellite and drone surveillance, artificial intelligence-based risk mapping, improved incident reporting and public-private partnerships as tools capable of strengthening maritime-domain awareness and response.
Navy Establishes Forward Outpost
As part of efforts to strengthen security in Cross River, the Nigerian Navy established a forward security outpost at Dayspring Island, also known as Idung I/Peacock Crossing, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
The outpost, established in May 2026, is intended to strengthen security along the Calabar-Oron water channel and help prevent kidnapping, militant activities and other maritime crimes.
The Commander of NNS VICTORY, Commodore Shuaib Ahmed, said the Navy remained committed to sustaining pressure on criminal elements and their collaborators.
Ahmed said the objective was to create a maritime environment where fishermen could safely access their fishing grounds, traders could transport their goods and residents could travel between communities without fear.
> “Cross River waterways represent an important economic asset. If effectively secured, they can support livelihoods, facilitate commerce and contribute to the development of the state’s maritime economy,” he said.
He said intelligence-driven operations and sustained naval presence had helped to disrupt criminal activities and degrade the support networks of suspected criminals.
Navy Targets Oil Theft, Illegal Bunkering
Maritime insecurity in Cross River also extends beyond kidnapping and militancy.
Rear Admiral Chiekezie Okehie said crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other petroleum-related crimes remained security concerns requiring sustained attention.
He noted that the extensive network of waterways and creeks in the Niger Delta made it impossible for security personnel to physically monitor every channel at all times.
Consequently, he stressed the importance of community information, surveillance and intelligence networks in identifying threats before they escalate.
Okehie said the Navy had intensified operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes, combining patrols, intelligence gathering and targeted raids.
Security Agencies, Communities Urged to Collaborate
According to Okehie, the complexity of maritime crimes makes cooperation among security agencies, government authorities and coastal communities essential.
He said kidnapping, militancy and crude oil theft often involved networks operating across geographical and operational boundaries, making intelligence sharing particularly important.
> “This requires collaboration among the Navy, police, other security agencies, local authorities and host communities,” he said.
He added that effective information sharing could help security agencies close operational gaps and prevent criminals from exploiting boundaries between jurisdictions.
Okehie also called for sustained patrols, improved intelligence gathering, stronger community relations and effective coordination among security agencies.
At the same time, he stressed the need to ensure that legitimate users of the waterways were not unnecessarily disrupted by security operations.
Don Calls for Sustained Security Efforts
Dr Judex Okoro of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Calabar, commended the Nigerian Navy for its efforts and called for stronger collaboration among security agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the priority should be to sustain security operations until safety becomes a permanent feature of Cross River’s maritime environment rather than a response triggered only by individual incidents.
For residents of Cross River’s coastal communities, safer waterways could mean more secure fishing activities, safer transportation, improved trade and greater access to essential services.
Stakeholders therefore advocate sustained naval patrols, stronger surveillance of vulnerable routes, improved intelligence sharing and faster responses to distress calls.
They also urged coastal communities to provide credible information to security agencies while calling on government authorities to address infrastructure gaps, particularly poor road networks that may push more commuters towards vulnerable waterways.
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