A Magistrates’ Court in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday ordered that nine men be remanded in prison custody for allegedly abducting a medical doctor, Prof. Ekanem Ephraim.

The suspects, Effiom Asuquo, 60; Ndifreke Akpan, 29; Effiom Edet, 20; Asuquo Edet, 45; Okon Okon, 37; Emmanuel Bassey, 35; Bassey Edet, 20; Effiong Edet, 35; and Patience Etim, 21, were charged with four counts bordering on unlawful possession of dangerous weapons and kidnapping.

Magistrate Mercy Ene did not take the plea of the suspects for want in jurisdiction.

She said that the suspects were charged under section 4(1)(2), section 2(b) and section 5(1) of 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 counsel to the prosecutor, SP Edosa Ufumwen.

Ufumwen had argued that the exparte motion was in pursuant to section 290 of Administration of Criminal Justice Law of the state for the suspects to be remanded pending their arraignment before a high court.

However, the counsel to the defendants, Mr Mustapha Igweshi, argued that his clients were entitled to bail.

He insisted that by section 36 of the 1999 constitution, defendants are still presumed to be innocent and therefore entitled to bail.

The prosecutor, however, argued against bail to the defendants, saying that “the defence counsel has no right of audience as the application before the court was made exparte.”

He also said that “since section 12 of the Kidnapping prohibition law of the state has stripped the court of the jurisdiction to entertain this charge, the court cannot grant bail but remand as enshrined under section 290 of ACJL of Cross River State.”

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 admissibility.

It would be recalled that Prof. Ekanem was abducted on July 13, 2023 around Atimbo area of Calabar which had led to a 40-day strike declared by the Nigeria Medical Association of Cross Rivers state.