By Ayomide Otitoju
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the suspected killers of Professor of Neurology, Ekanem Philip Ephraim, almost two years after her murder.
A credible source confirmed to Channels Television on Monday that the gang leader, 24-year-old Patrick Essien Etim, and his accomplice, 40-year-old Bassey Antiha Asuquo, were apprehended at a medical facility in Cross River State on December 27 while allegedly planning to kidnap another medical professional.
The source said the DSS had been tracking the kidnap ring since Professor Ephraim’s abduction in July 2023, when gunmen posing as patients seized her from her private clinic on Atimbo Road, Calabar. The suspects reportedly confessed to the killing, admitting that they murdered the professor after extorting multiple ransom payments from her family.
“It has been two years of torment for her loved ones, not knowing what happened to the Professor. With this arrest, her family and loved ones can finally have some peace and closure,” the source said.
The DSS also revealed that the suspects admitted to other kidnappings and vandalism of electricity cables. Another suspect, Isaac Ekpeyong, was also arrested in connection with the crimes.
Professor Ephraim’s abduction in July 2023 triggered statewide protests by the Cross River chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The association embarked on an indefinite strike that crippled healthcare services for over a week, demanding the professor’s safe release.
The DSS described the arrests as a major breakthrough, highlighting its commitment to covert operations and restoring public safety across the country.
