DSS Nabs Suspects Linked to 2023 Abduction, Killing of Calabar Hospital Owner

Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have arrested the alleged gang leader and two accomplices linked to the kidnapping and murder of renowned neurology professor, Ekanem Philip Ephraim, who was abducted and killed in Calabar, Cross River State, in 2023.

A credible security source said the suspects, identified as 23-year-old Patrick Essien Etim, alleged leader of the gang, 40-year-old Bassey Antiha Asuquo, and one Isaac Ekpeyong, were arrested on December 27, 2025, at a medical facility in the state.

The source disclosed that the suspects were allegedly planning another kidnapping targeting a senior medical professional at the time of their arrest.

According to the source, the DSS had been tracking the kidnapping syndicate since July 2023, when gunmen disguised as patients abducted Professor Ephraim from her private clinic on Atimbo Road, Calabar.

The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime, admitting that the professor was killed after her family paid multiple ransoms.

“It has been two years of torment for her loved ones, not knowing what happened to the Professor. With this arrest, her family may finally find some peace and the closure they deserve,” the source said.

The suspects also allegedly confessed to other kidnapping operations and acts of vandalism involving electricity infrastructure in the state.

Professor Ephraim was abducted on July 13, 2023, a development that triggered statewide protests by members of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, in Cross River State.

The association embarked on an indefinite strike that paralysed health services across the state for more than one week as pressure mounted on authorities to rescue the professor.

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.

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