2 July 2026
Scam/fraud in Cross River
OpenWatch has recorded 23 reported scam/fraud incidents in Cross River State, 3 of them in the last 12 months. That is 5% of every incident recorded in the state, and ranks it 23 of 24 among the states where scam/fraud is reported often enough to profile.
Incidents · 12 mo
3
Fatalities · 12 mo
0
Incidents · all-time
23
Fatalities · all-time
0
Latest reported scam/fraud in Cross River
18 June 2026 · Akpabuyo
The Nigerian Navy disrupted a suspected militant financing network on Dayspring Island, recovering records of N5.5 million in extortion from local fishermen. The operation aimed to dismantle the financial structures supporting criminal activities in the area.
20 May 2026
Two internet fraudsters were convicted in Calabar for obtaining money by false pretence. They were sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to restitute their victims.
15 October 2023 · Calabar
The EFCC arrested 46 suspected internet fraudsters in Calabar, Cross River State, and Eket, Akwa Ibom State, recovering sophisticated mobile phones, exotic cars, and laptops during the operation.
28 June 2023
A 26-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly selling her sisters' babies in Calabar, Cross River State. She was taken into custody along with her two sisters, who were involved in the scheme.
19 December 2020
A suspected child trafficker was arrested by the Nigeria Immigration Service while attempting to traffic a three-week-old baby on the high sea in Cross River State. The suspect has been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation.
14 October 2020 · Akamkpa
Police rescued three pregnant women and two children from an illegal baby factory in Obot Udonna village, Cross River State. The prime suspect has confessed to selling babies and is currently in custody.
8 August 2019 · Obudu
A student from the College of Education in Obudu confessed to kidnapping and extorting money from victims through threats. He was arrested after a victim reported his activities to the police.
4 May 2019
The Department of State Security arrested 59 individuals, including 43 girls and 16 men, involved in a sex trafficking cartel in Calabar. The operation revealed that many of the girls were underage and coerced into commercial sex work.
4 May 2019 · Calabar South
The Department of State Security arrested 59 commercial sex workers, including many underage girls, in Calabar, revealing a trafficking cartel that exploits them. Investigations are ongoing to apprehend all individuals involved in this illicit trade.
Other threats in Cross River
About these figures
Counts cover incidents classified as scam/fraud in Cross River State, drawn from OpenWatch’s incident record, excluding retracted reports and duplicates merged into an earlier report. Figures update hourly. Last recorded: 2 July 2026.
Reported numbers are a floor, not a census. Incidents in remote areas are routinely under-reported, and classification follows how an event was described in reporting, so a low count is not a guarantee of safety. See the full Cross River risk profile for every threat type, or the methodology for how incidents are collected and classified.
Track Cross River live on the incident map.