No fewer than 20 passengers were abducted by sea pirates in the Calabar waterways on Friday. Among those taken were candidates who had registered for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The attack occurred while the victims were travelling on a boat through the waterways. Local sources confirmed the incident but did not disclose the exact location of the abduction or the identity of the victims beyond their status as UTME candidates. The pirates' motive and the current whereabouts of the captives remain unknown. Security agencies in Cross River State have not issued an official statement on the matter. The Joint Task Force responsible for maritime security in the region has not commented on whether rescue operations are underway. Families of the missing passengers are anxious and seeking information. The incident has heightened fears among residents who depend on the waterways for daily transportation. This is not the first time the Calabar waterways have been targeted by pirates. Previous attacks in the area have led to calls for improved surveillance and security patrols. The Federal Government has previously pledged to secure Nigeria's inland waterways, but implementation remains inconsistent. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The same waterways where UTME candidates are being targeted have long been known for pirate activity, yet no effective security measures have stopped the abductions. These students were travelling for a national examination meant to determine their academic future, now disrupted by preventable violence. If the government cannot secure routes used by exam candidates, the integrity of national processes like the UTME is undermined. The absence of immediate official response deepens doubts about maritime security commitments.
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