A Magistrates’ Court in Calabar on Monday, September 11, ordered that nine men be remanded for allegedly abducting Professor Ekanem Phillip Ephraim, a lead consultant of neurology at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH)
It would be recalled that Dr. Ekanem was abducted on July 19, 2023, around the Atimbo area of Calabar.
The state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association recently suspended a 40-day strike over her abduction.
The suspects are Effiom Asuquo, 60; Ndifreke Akpan, 29; Effiom Edet, 20; Asuquo Edet, 45 and Okon Okon, 37.
Other suspects are Emmanuel Bassey, 35; Bassey Edet, 20; Effiong Edet, 35 and Patience Etim, 21.
They were charged with four unlawful possession of dangerous weapons and kidnapping.
Magistrate Mercy Ene did not take the plea of the suspects for want in jurisdiction.
The magistrate said that the suspects were charged under Section 4(1)(2), Section 2(b), and Section 5(1) of the Kidnapping (prohibition) Law of Cross River State 2015.
She noted that by section 12 of the law, only the state high court has jurisdiction to try any offence charged under this law.
The magistrate subsequently granted the exparte motion for the suspects to be remanded in prison custody brought before the court by the prosecutor, Edosa Ufumwen, a superintendent of police.
The magistrate subsequently ordered the suspects to be remanded in Correctional Service and adjourned the matter to September 25, 2023, for a ruling on the bail application.