In a significant breakthrough, operatives of Nigeria's Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested key suspects linked to the 2023 abduction and killing of Professor Ekanem Philip-Ephraim, a renowned neurology specialist at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
The arrest brings a measure of closure to a case that shocked the medical community and highlighted the persistent threat of kidnapping in parts of the country.The Abduction: A Brazen Attack in Broad Daylight
On July 13, 2023, Professor Philip-Ephraim was abducted from her office in Calabar, Cross River State. The kidnappers, posing as patients, waited until she was attending to them before brandishing weapons and forcing her into a vehicle around 7:15 p.m.Tragically, despite ransom payments from her family, the professor was killed by her abductors. The incident sparked outrage, prompting the Cross River State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to temporarily withdraw services in protest, demanding swift action for her rescue.
Two Years of Investigation Leads to ArrestsThe DSS had been quietly tracking the gang since the abduction. On December 27, 2025 — more than two years later — operatives apprehended the suspects at a medical facility in Cross River State. Ironically, the gang was allegedly planning to kidnap another senior medical practitioner when they were caught.
The arrested individuals include:
Patrick Essien Etim: 23, identified as the gang leader. Bassey Antiha Asuquo: 40. Isaac Ekpeyong: another member of the group.
Two Years of Investigation Leads to ArrestsThe DSS had been quietly tracking the gang since the abduction. On December 27, 2025 — more than two years later — operatives apprehended the suspects at a medical facility in Cross River State. Ironically, the gang was allegedly planning to kidnap another senior medical practitioner when they were caught.
The arrested individuals include:
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