The Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem has declared that the Assembly will soon enact a stern law to punishment kidnappers in the state.
He disclosed this while speaking with the leadership of Nigerian Medical Association, when they called on him to seek the Assembly’s support to rescue their colleague, Prof Ekanem Ephraim of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital who was kidnapped a week ago.
The armed abductors had pretended to be patients to carry out their evil act.
While condemning the spate of kidnappings in the state, the Speaker said when the law comes into effect, whosoever is caught in the act of kidnapping in the state will pay heavily for it.
“I really feel very sad by the frequency of abductions. The recent case of Professor (Mrs) Ekanem Philip Ephraim of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital is very worrisome.
“I understand your pain and want to assure you that we will do everything possible to secure her immediate release from the kidnappers’ den. The State governor and the security operatives are working round the clock to bring her back safely,” he said.
The Speaker urged the NMA not to carry out their threat of withdrawing their professional services, expressing optimism that the doctor of Neurology will be safely released.
The Chairman of NMA, Dr Felix Archibong who led the NMA delegation on the visit, lamented the trauma the victim is going through.
He stated that there have been incessant kidnapping of their members and called on government and security agencies to end it.
He then begged that Prof Ephraim should be released unhurt soon enough.
