The Department of State Services (DSS) has recorded a major operational breakthrough with the arrest of the leader of the kidnapping syndicate responsible for the abduction and murder of renowned neurologist, Professor Ekanem Philip Ephraim.
In a statement issued by the Service, the suspects were apprehended on December 27, 2025, in Cross River State, bringing to an end a case that shocked both the medical community and the nation.
The suspected gang leader, Patrick Essien Etim, 23, and his accomplice, Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40, were arrested at a medical facility while allegedly planning to kidnap another top medical professional. DSS sources disclosed that the suspects had been under covert surveillance since the July 2023 killing of Professor Ephraim, who was abducted by gunmen posing as patients at her clinic in Calabar.
Investigations revealed that the duo confessed to the crime, admitting that they murdered the professor after collecting multiple ransom payments from her family. They also owned up to several other kidnapping operations and acts of vandalism targeting electricity installations, which led to the arrest of another accomplice, Isaac Ekpeyong.
Recall that Professor Ephraim’s abduction sparked statewide protests and an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Medical Association, crippling health services in Cross River State for over a week. The DSS described the arrest as a significant breakthrough, reaffirming its resolve to dismantle criminal networks, restore public safety, and ensure justice for victims and their families.
