Seventeen passengers abducted from a boat travelling between Calabar (Cross River State) and Oron (Akwa Ibom State) have reportedly been released after 11 days in captivity.

The victims were part of a group aboard a commercial vessel owned by Sea Express Limited which was attacked by armed men on Thursday, September 25.

The attackers hijacked the boat midway, diverted it to an unknown location, and abducted several passengers.

According to sources cited by Vanguard and Naija News, the released passengers are now receiving medical attention at a government hospital in Calabar under security escort.

It remains unclear whether all 17 have been freed, or if some are still in captivity.

Some reports say that certain passengers escaped by jumping into the river during the attack, while others were forcibly taken away.

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As of now, no official statement has been issued by security agencies confirming the exact number of those released or the circumstances under which they were freed.