DSS Arrests Gang Leader Behind Kidnap, Murder of Prof. Ekanem Ephraim

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the alleged leader of the gang responsible for the abduction and murder of renowned neurology professor Ekanem Philip Ephraim, who was kidnapped in 2023.

A credible security source confirmed that the suspect, Patrick Essien Etim, 23, was arrested on Saturday alongside an accomplice, Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40, at a medical facility in Cross River State, where they were reportedly planning to kidnap another senior medical professional.

According to the source, the DSS had been tracking the kidnap syndicate since the professor was abducted in July 2023. Prof. Ephraim was taken by gunmen who posed as patients at her private clinic on Atimbo Road, Calabar.

Investigations revealed that the suspects confessed to kidnapping and killing the professor after collecting multiple ransom payments from her family.

Another accomplice, Isaac Ekpeyong, was also arrested in connection with the crime.
“It has been two years of torment for her loved ones, not knowing what became of the Professor. With these arrests, her family can finally have some peace and the much-needed closure they deserve,” the source said.

The suspects also admitted involvement in other kidnapping operations and acts of vandalism, including the destruction of electricity cables.

Prof. Ephraim’s abduction had sparked widespread outrage across Cross River State. The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) declared an indefinite strike that crippled healthcare services for over a week, as doctors demanded urgent government action to secure her release.

The DSS described the arrests as a major breakthrough, underscoring its renewed commitment to covert intelligence operations and the restoration of public safety nationwide.