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The Digest:

Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested the suspected killers of Professor Ekanem Philip Ephraim, a neurologist murdered nearly two years ago in Calabar, Cross River State. The suspects were apprehended at a medical facility while allegedly planning another kidnapping, marking a breakthrough in a case that had tormented her family and colleagues.

Key Points:
  • DSS arrested Patrick Essien Etim, 24, and Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40, for the murder of Professor Ephraim
  • The suspects were captured at a medical facility while planning to kidnap another doctor
  • They confessed to killing the professor after collecting multiple ransom payments
  • Professor Ephraim was abducted in July 2023 by gunmen posing as patients at her clinic
  • Her kidnapping sparked protests and an indefinite strike by the Nigerian Medical Association in Cross River State
  • A third suspect, Isaac Ekpeyong, was also arrested for related crimes, including cable vandalism
  • The DSS described the arrest as a result of covert operations aimed at restoring public safety
When justice is delayed, its arrival, however late, can still bring a form of peace, not just to a family, but to a community that refused to look away.

Sources: DSS Statement, Channels Television Report