The Cross River State government has banned boat operations on the Calabar–Oron waterway from 6:00 p.m. daily.
The measure is part of the state government’s proactive security framework to safeguard lives and property.
Also, the state government has designated what it calls an official maritime route for boats to ply, warning that any deviation is risky for water travelers.
On Friday, April 17, 2026, kidnappers reportedly abducted 15 boat passengers, many of them candidates traveling to Akwa Ibom State for the United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Special Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu on Marine Services, Otu Ita, who announced the ban, said the reminder was necessary in view of new reports about kidnapping on the waterway.
“The public and all maritime stakeholders are reminded that there is a standing restriction of movement on sea transport along the Calabar–Oron waterway,” Ita further said.
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“On this note, we strongly enjoin all sea transport operators, boat captains, and relevant stakeholders to comply strictly with the use of officially designated waterway routes and to adhere to the stipulated operating hours.”
The special adviser warned that the patronage of unapproved shortcuts and violation of the 6:00 p.m. curfew endangers lives and undermines the maritime security architecture instituted by the state government.
Ita added that boats plying the official Calabar–Oron waterway are mandated to pass through five marine security checkpoints, which are strategically established to ensure the safety of passengers and crew before arrival at Oron.
He maintained that they will continue to partner with security agencies to sustain law and order across the marine corridors.
