CALABAR, Nigeria — A Federal High Court in Calabar has ordered the remand of seven suspects over the alleged kidnapping and killing of Prof. Ekanem Phillip Ephraim, a professor of neurology at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), in a case security sources say is tied to a broader kidnapping network operating in and around the Cross River capital.
Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie (Court Two) directed that the suspects be held at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Afokang, following an ex parte application filed by the Department of State Services (DSS). The motion, filed in suit FHC/CA/M10/26, sought court approval to detain the suspects pending completion of investigations and receipt of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Those named in court documents include Patrick Essien Etim (aka “Pato”), Etim Effiong Eyo (aka “IT-Can-Happen”), Anthony Essien Etim (aka “Humble”), Bassey Anthigha Asuquo, Isaac Uwem Ekpeyong (aka “Kemzy Stunt”), Ekpeyong Effiok Eyo (aka “Yobo”), and Imoh John Udofa (aka “Imopart”), according to court and media reports. The judge granted the DSS request and adjourned proceedings to April 21, 2026, when the matter is expected to return to court after the prosecuting authorities issue legal advice on possible charges.
According to The Guardian, the suspects were arrested by DSS operatives between December 2025 and January 2026 during investigations into alleged kidnapping operations and related crimes in Calabar and surrounding communities. Investigators linked them to the abduction and death of Prof. Ephraim, and also to the alleged kidnappings of Mrs. Eme Udeme Daniel, Dr. Roland Ipuole, Francis Kibe and James Osim.
The suspects are additionally being investigated over allegations of vandalism of public electricity infrastructure within the Calabar metropolis, authorities said. In an earlier report on the case, Arise TV said DSS operatives arrested alleged key members of the gang in late December 2025, nearly two years after the professor’s abduction, as security agencies intensified efforts to dismantle kidnapping rings targeting professionals.
