By NAOMI SHARANG

The Senate has urged the Chief of Naval Staff and other relevant security agencies to secure the release of 15 abducted passengers including students on Calabar–Oron waterways by suspected sea pirates.

The upper chamber condemned the attack, describing the incident as a grave threat to national security, human safety and economic activities in the zone.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Sen. Ekong Sampson (APC-Akwa Ibom), who condemned the hijacking of a commercial ferry travelling from Calabar to Oron last Friday.

Presenting the motion, Sampson said the victims, including young Nigerians reportedly preparing for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), were abducted at gunpoint after armed pirates attacked the vessel mid-sea.

He described the Incident as disturbing, noting that it has left families in distress and heightened insecurity across coastal communities in Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

According to him, at least 15 passengers were forcibly taken by the attackers, with eyewitnesses and local fishermen confirming that the vessel was seized and the victims taken to unknown locations.

The Senate expressed concern over the increasing vulnerability of the Calabar–Oron waterways, a key transport and economic route in the Niger Delta, to piracy and other related crimes.

Lawmakers also noted that persistent maritime insecurity, in spite of the assurances from security agencies, has continued to undermine public confidence and disrupt livelihoods in the region.

Adopting the motion, the Senate condemned the attack and abduction, while extending sympathy to the families of the victims.

The upper chamber further called on the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to intensify surveillance, patrols and intelligence gathering across the waterways and adjoining creeks.

In a bid to tackle the root causes of the recurring incidents, the Senate mandated its Committees on Navy, Marine Transport and National Security and Intelligence to investigate the rising spate of maritime insecurity in the Niger Delta and recommend lasting solutions.

It also directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to explore measures that would prevent candidates from travelling across states to sit for the UTME, citing safety concerns.

In an additional resolution, the Senate mandated the Federal Ministry of Works to expedite work on the Calabar–Itu–Odukpani Highway to reduce dependence on water transport in the area.

Lawmakers warned that failure to decisively address insecurity on inland waterways could embolden criminal elements, disrupt commerce and further endanger lives in Nigeria’s coastal areas.

Ruling on the motion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed sympathy with the victims and their families, urging security agencies to act swiftly.

“We sympathise with the families and victims and urge security agencies to do everything possible to ensure the safe return of those in captivity,” he said.

“I can only imagine the anguish and agony they are passing through right now.”

He also called for increased naval presence along the waterways, noting the strategic importance of the route and challenges posed by poor road infrastructure in the area.

“The Nigerian Navy should intensify patrols along that axis, especially given the challenges with road infrastructure in that region,” he added. (NAN)

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