Revealed: Real Reason C’River Govt Creates Whistleblower Desk, Promises N5m incentives

By Babatunde Solanke

As part of its efforts to make citizens an important part of the security architecture, the Cross River State Government has created an office within the Office of the Senior State Security Adviser called ‘Whistle Blower Desk’.

This was contained in a press statement with reference number SSG/SSO/430/S.1/VOL. II/32, the governor said N5,000,000 reward awaits anyone with valuable information leading to the rescue of Prof. Ekanem Philip.

The statement also assured citizens’ right to privacy will be protected when reporting such suspected crimes, especially kidnapping.

“As an incentive to stem kidnapping in the state, the State Government is placing a reward of N5,000,000 for any person who provides credible information leading to the arrest of any suspected kidnapper(s) in the case of Professor Ekanem Phillip. Additionally, information that will lead to the arrest of any other kidnapper(s) will attract a cash reward.” the statement read in part.

Recall that Professor Ekanem Ephraim, Chief Neurologist at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) was abducted from her home in Calabar by armed men who posed as relatives of patients in need of urgent medical attention.

Despite the NMA’s cries for help, hope of saving the victim’s life seems to be fading day by day.

Investigation revealed that the kidnappers have not reached out to her family again, although they collected around 10 million naira as initial bail instead of the 15 million naira agreed for her release.

It is on the heels of the silence by her abductors that has thrown the family, friends, colleagues and government into despair given the prolonged stay of the abductee in captivity running into the months, hence the action by state government to set up a whistle blower desk.

Whistle Blower, Professor Ekanem Ephraim, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH),Kidnap, Abduct, Cross River State Government,