The Nigerian Army has rescued four civilians who were abducted and being transported by boat toward Isangele, Achibong, in Cameroon. The operation was conducted on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, by troops from the 13 Brigade during a routine waterborne patrol in Bakassi, Cross River State.

According to Major Yemi Sokoya, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, the militants attempted to flee upon sighting the patrol, opening fire on the soldiers. The troops responded with “accurate and superior firepower,” forcing the attackers to abandon the victims and escape into nearby creeks. All four civilians were rescued unharmed, along with their personal belongings, and no soldiers were injured during the operation.

Brigadier General P.O. Alimikhena, Commander of 13 Brigade, commended the troops for their professionalism and bravery. He noted that the rescue demonstrated the Brigade’s operational readiness and ongoing commitment to protecting residents of Cross River State and neighboring communities. Alimikhena added that the military would continue dismantling criminal networks across coastal and riverine corridors and urged residents to provide timely and credible intelligence to assist security operations.

The rescue occurs amid a rising wave of kidnappings across Nigeria, with criminal groups targeting civilians, commuters, schoolchildren, and workers in both urban and rural areas. Coastal and riverine states—including Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and parts of the Niger Delta—have seen an uptick in abductions, often facilitated by waterways and creeks that aid escape.

Experts cite factors such as the proliferation of illicit arms, porous borders, and difficult terrain as contributing to the resilience of these networks. Kidnapping-for-ransom has become a lucrative enterprise nationwide, affecting states like Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, and Kogi, as well as major cities including Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt.

In response, security agencies have intensified measures through military raids, intelligence-driven arrests, community policing, and inter-agency collaboration. Nevertheless, persistent kidnappings highlight broader challenges, including weak policing capacity and economic hardship.

On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the Senate passed the second reading of a bill seeking to classify all kidnapping and hostage-taking offences as acts of terrorism, proposing the death penalty for such crimes without alternative sentences. Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized the urgency of moving the legislation swiftly through the legislative process.

The Nigerian Army reaffirmed that ongoing operations, including waterborne patrols in the South-South and clearance missions in the North, are crucial to curbing cross-border criminal activity and restoring safety across affected regions.