By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – Journalist and activist, Agba Jalingo, has alleged that the killers of Prof. Ekanem Ephraim, Patrick Essien Etim and Bassey Antigha Asuquo, were allegedly facilitating kidnappings while in jail in the Correctional Centre in Afokang, Calabar, Cross River State.
Converseer reports that Prof. Ephraim, a Neurologist and medical doctor with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was kidnapped from her residence at Atimbo by Mountain of Fire, Calabar Municipality on 13 July 2023.
Despite collecting ransom, the kidnappers killed the medical doctor in their den.
On 27 December 2025, the alleged kidnappers and killers, led by the gang leader Patrick Essien Etim (a.k.a Pato), 23, and his accomplice, Bassey Antigha Asuquo, 40, were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) at a medical facility in the State while planning to kidnap another medical bigwig.
Narrating his stay at the Afokang Correctional Centre while incarcerated by former Governor Ben Ayade over a report on the State’s Microfinance Bank, Jalingo said the duo, especially the leader, were receiving proceeds from kidnappings inside the prison.
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“These two alleged kidnappers of Prof. Ephraim, I met them while I was incarcerated in Afokang prison in Calabar for six months by former Governor Ben Ayade. The third one I am not familiar with. But these two, I saw them in prison, and they were there for armed robbery.
“Bassey Antigha was in Cell A3 and Patrick Essien Etim was in Cell C2. I was in Cell E1. Even while in jail, there were rumours amongst inmates that Bassey, in particular, was still facilitating kidnappings from jail and his cuts from ransoms were ferried to him in jail. It was a popular rumour amongst inmates. Very popular.
“In fact, usually when they played drought game, Patrick used to brag about their criminal activities outside with one of his friends in jail nicknamed ‘One Minute’ who has now been transferred to Ikom prison.
“These guys are die-hard and unrepentant criminals who are not willing to leave crime,” Jalingo stated in a Facebook post on Monday.
