Crime

DSS Foils Fresh Kidnap, Arrests Professor’s Killers

By Web News 408

Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have arrested two suspected kidnappers linked to the 2023 abduction and killing of a neurology professor, Professor Ekanem Philip-Ephraim, in Cross River State.

Professor Philip-Ephraim was abducted on July 13, 2023, from her office in Calabar, and was later confirmed murdered by her captors.

According to the then Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Cross River State, Dr Felix Archibong, the kidnappers posed as patients, drew weapons while she attended to them, and abducted her around 7:15 p.m.

The abduction sparked outrage across the medical community, forcing the Cross River chapter of the NMA to withdraw services in protest while demanding her rescue.

DSS officials, who spoke anonymously on Monday, said operatives arrested the suspects on December 27, 2025, at a medical facility in the state while they were allegedly planning to kidnap another senior medical practitioner.

The suspects were identified as Patrick Essien Etim, 23, the alleged gang leader, and Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40.

Security sources disclosed that the DSS had tracked the gang since July 2023, when armed men abducted the professor from her private clinic on Atimbo Road, Calabar, under the guise of seeking medical care.

“Our operatives arrested the leader of the gang and another accomplice responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Professor Ekanem Philip-Ephraim,” a source said.

The suspects have confessed, admitting that they killed her after collecting multiple ransom payments from her family.”

Merry Christmas from all of us at Radio Nigeria Ibadan Zonal Station

The source added that the arrests may finally bring closure to the professor’s family after two years of uncertainty and grief.

The suspects also reportedly confessed to kidnapping other victims and vandalising electricity infrastructure.

In a related development, DSS operatives also arrested another suspect, Isaac Ekpeyong, in connection with the criminal network.

According to the DSS, the arrests underscore the agency’s renewed focus on covert operations aimed at dismantling criminal syndicates and strengthening public safety nationwide.

Punch/Maxwell Oyekunle

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Crime

Naval Officer Allegedly falls Victim of Male Genital Thief

By Web News 544

Male private part thieves, weekend, extended their shameful activities, which have been rampant in Calabar, Cross River State, for three weeks running to the Nigerian Navy Barracks, Akim where they allegedly snatched the genital of a naval officer.

The naval officer, whose name was not given was said to be manning the entry point into the barracks when a young man, who gave his name as Samuel walked into the barracks and was directed to the sentry point for security scrutiny.

“When he got to the sentry point, he was asked whom he was looking for and his mission in the barracks but while he was talking with the sentry officer, the man felt “an electric jolt around his genitals and behold, when he touched the area, his private had gone,” Azeez, a naval personnel told newsmen.

Following the alarm raised by the naval officer, the young man was accosted and beaten up with instructions to return the missing genital immediately.

The alleged genital thief did not say if he was going to return the missing organ and did not deny being responsible for the disappearance of the genital.

Vanguard/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Judiciary

Cross River State Govt. Increases Judicial Officers’ Salary by 100%

By Web News 577

Cross River State governor, Professor Ben Ayade has approved the upward review of the salaries and welfare of judicial officers in the state.

Governor Ayade announced the new salary package at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar, during the swearing-in of the new President of Cross River Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Anjor Mbe.

In the new salary regime, which takes effect from August 1, 2022, the salaries of the state’s high court judges will be increased by 100 percent.

Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal will also have their salaries increased by 100 percent while those of Magistrates will be increased by 50 percent.

Similarly, the governor also granted all judicial officers in the state immediate land allocation.

Ayade said, ”As a matter of state government’s policy, any judicial officer sworn-in will have his or her official car ready for delivery.“

Announcing approval for new recruitment into the state’s judicial service, the governor said: “We have witnessed massive vacancy in the Ministry of Justice occasioned by retirement.”

“To this effect, we have approved for the Chief Judge with the support of the Head of Service and the Civil Service Commission, the employment of 500 workers in the Ministry of Justice for the first phase alone.”

While expressing optimism that he has addressed the immediate challenges of the state judiciary, Gov. Ayade pledged his administration’s readiness to support that arm of government from time to time as the need arises.

The governor added that he acted in concert with the report of the State Judicial Welfare Review Committee which he set up in April.

It would be recalled that the Committee which had retired Justice Eyo Effiong Ita as Chairman and the state’s Head of Service, Timothy Ogbang Akwaji as Secretary, was charged with reviewing the salaries of Cross River state judicial officers.

Vanguard/Maxwell Oyekunle

Lifestyle

Festus Keyamo to Chair 2021 Cross River State Migration Summit

By Web News 541

The Minister of Labour and Employment for the state, Festus Keyamo is to chair the 2021 Cross River State Migration Summit slated for Calabar on April 22.

At the international event to be broadcast live and streamed on several social media platforms, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is billed to deliver a keynote address on Labour Migration As A Tool For Job Creation and Nigerian Development at the occasion.

Participants are expected from Canada, US, and several countries with the  Cross River State Governor, Professor Benedict Ayade as the chief host amidst other special guests that include the Chairman Senate Committee on foreign Affairs, Senator Adamu Mohammad Bulkachuwa, member of the African Union Labour Migration Advisory Committee, HE Dr Princess Ocansey from Ghana, Professor Michael Okom, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University Calabar and International Organization for migration, (IOM), Nigeria.

The summit is being powered by the Migration Control Services Agencies (MCA) headed by Prince Michael NkuAbuo Wellington, the Director General of agency in collaboration with the Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM) comprising over 300 journalists covering migration across the globe.

Ajibola Abayomi, President of JIFORM and the Spokesman of the summit in a statement said the conference themed ‘utilizing the gains of migration to advance development in Nigeria’ was targeted at improving the migration framework in Nigeria and to further enlightened the citizens on how to benefit from the diaspora resources through legitimate means.

On his part, Prince NkuAbuo said the state was ready to tap into the migration potentials in order to increase the foreign exchange earnings into the nation by ensuring that the interest of the youths and potential migrants were adequately protected.

He hinted that the stage was set for the formal launching of decent jobs for the Nigerian youths in the gulf nation as well as study programmes in the US, Canada, Europe and others at the occasion.

NkuAbuo added that the MCA, the first state owned migration agency in the entire sub-Saharan established one year ago by Governor Ayande was also ready to partner with both local and international institutions to create more jobs and educate the youths to embrace regular migration.

Other participants listed for the event included   Susan Gong, a former Member of the Canada Immigration and Refugee Board and now the Chief Executive Officer of Altec Global, a foremost immigration consultancy firm; Professor Bryon Price, the Global Director of Diaspora Innovation Institute, City University, New York, USA; Senior Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on Diaspora Matters, Mrs Bolanle Sarumi-Aliyu and representatives from several states in Nigeria.  

E-signed

Ajibola Abayomi

President JIFORM