…as relative of 3 victims reveals contact with kidnappersÂ
*25 people, not 20 were kidnapped – DohoAbasi Uweh
DohoAbasi Uweh, relative of three, out of the reported 20 victims kidnapped recently while ferrying from Akwa Ibom State (Oron) to Cross River States (Calabar) has revealed that twenty five, not twenty victims were kidnapped by the pirates.
According to DohoAbasi:
“On April 18, 2025, I took my mum,, my younger sister, and my little cousin, to Oron beach. They were traveling for Easter and my mum’s medical checkup. I was supposed to accompany them to Calabar that Friday, but a pending order kept me back. Since I knew no one would come to pick me and my luggage later, I decided to travel light and added my things to theirs.
When I arrived at the beach, I tried to board the ferry. My mistake was not booking online-these operators often claim the available seats are reserved for online clients and then make people pay extra when those “clients” don’t show up. Living in the heart of Oron, I didn’t think online booking was necessary, since I could get there as early as 7 a.m. I was told the only available ferry would leave at 2 p.m., meaning a seven-hour wait, which I found unreasonable.
I suggested to my mum that we use the speed boat instead. After some persuasion, she agreed. If I had known what would happen, I would have gladly waited those seven hours instead of enduring what followed.
We went to the speed boat section. While my family loaded their luggage, I went to book tickets. I noticed that a boat designed for 20 passengers was overloaded with 25 people and their luggage. I realized this because the manifest’s serial number ended at 20-my sister’s name was the last one listed. I also saw the names of four extra people written at the back of the manifest. These extra passengers have not been accounted for, as the media reports only mention 20 people, not 25 (including the driver).
This overloading is likely a tactic to evade taxes and make extra money at the expense of passenger safety. I took pictures and videos of the boarding process. The boat was so heavy it barely had any spread, making it look unsafe.
After they departed, I called my elder sister to take a taxi to the Calabar beach and wait for their arrival. Based on the estimated travel time, she got there, and our long wait began. Thirty minutes later, I called my younger sister on the boat. That was the only time she answered. I heard commotion and a man’s voice shouting “GO!” repeatedly. I naively assumed they had arrived and were disembarking, unaware that this was the moment sea pirates were either moving them to their boats or trying to escape crossfire with the Nigerian Navy.
Later, I learned that the Navy’s interceptor boats couldn’t reach them in time, so the shootout was only between the naval ship and the pirates. To avoid harming civilians, the Navy was cautious and only managed to neutralize one pirate.
When my elder sister called to inform me of the news she got from a second, lighter boat that escaped the kidnappers, I returned to the beach to report the incident. It took threats and hours of waiting before the authorities could photocopy the manifest and make an official report to the Navy check points at the sea. They were carrying on as if nothing happened . The speed boat office, “Safe Journey,” made no attempt to contact victims’ families and tried to hush the matter, continuing to overload boats without security escorts or warning passengers of the risk.
I was told to wait for calls from the pirates, which became the most painful part: seven days of treating every phone ring as if my family’s lives depended on it.
I asked friends and family to stop calling, shut down my business, and focused solely on waiting for that call. On Sunday 20th April, 2025. I returned to the beach to get the manifest and contact the next of kin of other passengers.
I managed to reach two people, one was unaware, the other had already gone to the beach after his wife failed to arrive and was told to watch his phone. The pirates called him on Tuesday, demanding ₦50 million after already emptying his wife’s business account. Eventually, they called my elder sister and me, demanding ₦20 million.
We involved the authorities, but nothing has been done. Our waterways remain unsafe; trying to avoid the bad roads of Calabar only led us into greater danger at sea.
This experience has left me with deep pain and regret. The inability to help loved ones in dire situations is a universal agony, but the rest-the regrets, the flashbacks, the endless “what ifs”-are deeply personal and haunting. I have tried so hard to remain strong for them and I am at my wits end…
Thankfully, the kidnappers have finally contacted us, demanding a ransom. After intense negotiations, we have managed to reduce the amount to ₦4 million Naira. However, this is still beyond what we can raise on our own.
Our family is still burdened by debts from my late father’s illness and burial, and we urgently need your help. Any amount you can contribute will bring us closer to securing their safe release.
Please send your kind donations to:
Bank Name: Access Bank
Account Name: Dohoabasi Okon Uweh
Account Number: 1557968362
Please also share this message widely. Your prayers, support, and generosity mean the world to us.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart”
