By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that the engineers from NELAN Consulting Engineers who went missing during the Effium crisis in Ebonyi State were victims of the wider communal violence between Effium and Ezza-Effium communities and were not specifically targeted.
Umahi explained that the disappearance of the engineers occurred at the height of the violent communal conflict between Effium and Ezza-Effium, which led to the destruction of lives and property and plunged the area into severe insecurity.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, the minister said the engineers were among many victims of the crisis that engulfed the area at the time.
According to the statement, several individuals suspected to be involved in the incident were arrested, confessed to the crime and have remained in custody while the case continues in court.
“The attention of the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works has been drawn to the protest by persons identified as family members and sympathisers of the late engineers of NELAN Consulting Engineers,” the statement said.
Umahi expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased, describing their deaths as a painful tragedy.
“No family deserves such grief. As Governor of Ebonyi State at the time, Senator Umahi shared in that pain and treated the matter with the seriousness it deserved,” the statement noted.
It clarified that the incident occurred on November 3, 2021, during the height of the communal conflict in Effium.
The statement added that once the incident was reported, the then governor mobilised security agencies and initiated an intensive search and investigation to determine the whereabouts of the engineers and apprehend those responsible.
Umahi was said to have personally visited the scene of the incident with security operatives and participated in efforts to uncover what happened.
“These efforts led to the arrest of individuals involved in the dastardly act. Those arrested confessed to committing the crime and have remained in custody since then,” the statement said.
It added that the case is still before the court and the judicial process has continued even after Umahi left office as governor in 2023.
The statement stressed that the administration under Umahi did not abandon or suppress the matter, noting that swift investigative steps were taken and suspects were handed over to the justice system for prosecution.
The minister also noted that the communal violence in Effium created a dangerous environment that claimed several innocent lives, including the NELAN engineers. (Vanguard)