A neurologist and consultant at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Professor Ekanem Philip Ephraim, has been abducted by gunmen.
The distressing incident was confirmed by the Cross River State Police Command on Friday morning.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Irene Ugbo, the situation is being diligently addressed, and there was no cause for alarm
“The command has promptly initiated a tactical operation to track down the perpetrators responsible for this reprehensible act.
“However, due to the audacity of the criminals, who seized the mobile phones of onlookers and even security guards present at the scene, the response time of the tactical teams was significantly hindered.
“It is indeed true that a medical practitioner was kidnapped last night. We are resolute in our relentless fight against crime, and our pursuit of the kidnappers is ongoing. Let be public be rest assured, we will bring them to justice,
” SP Irene Ugbo assured.
The incident Vanguard learned unfolded at about 9:00 pm on Thursday around Mountain of Fire church , Road , off Atimbo in Calabar Municipality LGA when four robust individuals arrived at the professor’s facility in a Toyota vehicle.
According to impeccable sources, the men pretended like they had a patient with them and they demanded to see the doctor immediately.
“It was when she came to attend to the men that she was whisked away in their car, one of the lady who was with her pursued them, immediately they pointed a gun at her she had to stay back for fear of losing her life.
“They collected phones from the security guards around a popular church near the victims facility so that they won’t make any calls to the police or other security agencies”.
The motive behind this brazen abduction remains unclear, casting a shadow of concern over the community.
As the search for Professor Ekanem Philip Ephraim intensifies, the authorities are sparing no effort to ensure his safe return.
The medical community and the general public anxiously await positive developments, hoping for a swift resolution to this distressing ordeal.
