The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has stopped a suspected kidnapping operation in Oron Local Government Area after acting on intelligence supplied by members of the public.
The operation was conducted on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, by Marine Police operatives in collaboration with Marine Hunters at a suspected criminal camp along the Calabar–Oron Channel.
According to the police, the intelligence indicated that suspected criminals were preparing to carry out a kidnapping operation around the Oron axis.
The raid yielded several items believed to be connected with criminal activity, including a pump-action firearm, ammunition, a rope and multiple boats and outboard engines.
The development highlights the security challenges associated with Akwa Ibom’s riverine communities, where waterways can provide access to remote areas and potentially serve as escape routes for criminal groups.
The police said no kidnapping took place following the intervention and assured residents and other waterway users that the area remained calm.
Police spokesperson DSP Timfon John said officers recovered the following items from the suspected camp:
- One pump-action gun;
- Two cartridges;
- One white rope suspected to have been intended for criminal use;
- Two speedboats;
- Three 200-horsepower outboard engines; and
- One 15-horsepower outboard engine.
The recovered items have been taken into police custody, documented and preserved as part of the ongoing investigation.
The presence of several high-powered outboard engines and speedboats was particularly significant to the operation because the location lies along the Calabar–Oron waterway.
Police authorities have increasingly focused on waterways as part of efforts to prevent criminal groups from using coastal and riverine terrain to move personnel, equipment or victims.
However, the police have not announced any arrests arising from this particular operation, and the identities of the suspected members of the alleged criminal network have not been disclosed.
The Akwa Ibom Command said the operation formed part of its proactive policing strategy, which seeks to identify criminal activity before suspects can execute planned attacks.
The approach relied on information provided by members of the public before security personnel moved against the suspected camp.
According to the command, one of its priorities is preventing criminals from turning waterways into operational bases, hideouts or escape corridors.
This focus is particularly relevant to Oron and surrounding coastal communities, where residents depend heavily on waterways for transportation, fishing and other economic activities.
The police said its Marine Police unit has maintained heightened surveillance around strategic waterways and coastal settlements.
The operation also demonstrates the importance of information-sharing between residents and security agencies.
Police authorities said the initial intelligence came from members of the public who reported the suspected kidnapping plan.
The command subsequently used the information to conduct a targeted operation rather than waiting for an attack to occur.
The police have urged residents, fishermen, boat operators and other waterway users to remain alert and report suspicious movements, vessels or individuals.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, commended the personnel involved in the operation for what he described as professionalism, courage and effective use of intelligence.
Azare also acknowledged the contribution of the Marine Hunters, who participated in the joint operation.
The commissioner said the police would continue to deploy intelligence, operational resources and partnerships with relevant groups to prevent criminal activity across the state.
He also warned criminal groups operating across state boundaries that Akwa Ibom would not be allowed to become a safe haven, staging area or escape route for kidnappers and other violent criminals.
The warning comes as security agencies across Nigeria continue to strengthen intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of organised crime.
The successful disruption of the alleged kidnapping plan provides another indication of the importance of securing Nigeria’s waterways alongside conventional roads and communities.
While the police have not disclosed the intended victims or specific target of the alleged kidnapping operation, the recovery of boats, powerful outboard engines and weapons suggests that investigators will examine whether the equipment was linked to a wider criminal network.
The immediate priorities for the police are likely to include:
- Tracing the ownership and origin of the recovered boats and engines;
- Identifying the individuals connected to the suspected camp;
- Determining whether the recovered firearm and ammunition have been used in previous crimes; and
- Establishing whether the suspected group has links to other criminal operations in the region.
For residents of Oron and neighbouring coastal communities, the police intervention has prevented a reported threat from progressing into an actual kidnapping incident.
The command has urged continued cooperation from the public, stressing that early reporting of suspicious activity can help security agencies intervene before criminals carry out planned attacks.
