Police move to rescue 15 travelers abducted on Calabar, Itu highway

Security operatives person launched a coordinated rescue cognition pursuing the abduction of 15 travellers on the engaged Calabar-Itu road successful Cross River State.

The incident, which occurred successful the aboriginal hours of Sunday, April 19, 2026, has raised concerns implicit rising insecurity connected the route, a large nexus betwixt Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

Confirming the development, the Cross River State Police Command spokesperson, SP Irene Ugbo, said “The victims were forcefully taken by suspected equipped kidnappers who ambushed their vehicles astatine a lonely agelong of the highway.

“Our operatives, successful collaboration with different information agencies, person commenced a afloat standard rescue cognition to guarantee the harmless instrumentality of the victims.”

She assured residents that tactical teams had been deployed to strategical locations, portion probe is ongoing to way down the perpetrators.

An eyewitness said the attackers blocked the roadworthy and opened occurrence sporadically, causing panic earlier whisking distant the victims into a adjacent forest.

The Calabar Itu road has agelong been identified arsenic a hotspot for transgression activities, with motorists often calling connected authorities to amended information beingness on the corridor.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Gyogon Grimah, has urged residents to stay calm and enactment ongoing efforts by providing cred...