Families Of Missing Ebonyi Engineers Seek Government’s Intervention

Wives and family members of five engineers abducted in Ebonyi State nearly four years ago have demanded to know the fate of their husbands through the federal government’s intervention.

They made the call in Abuja during a peaceful protest to ensure justice for the victims whose whereabouts have remained unknown since the incident.

The protesters, supported by some civil society organisations, urged the government to provide clear information about the whereabouts of the engineers who were reportedly kidnapped in November 2021 while working on the Abakaliki Ring Road project

LEADERSHIP earlier reported that the missing engineers were Nelson Onyemeh, Ernest Edeani, Ikechukwu Ejiofor, Samuel Aneke and Stanley Nwazulum, all employees of NELAN Construction Limited. They were said to have been supervising work on the road project when armed men reportedly abducted them.

The Abakaliki Ring Road project, designed to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity within the Ebonyi State capital, was funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) as part of wider infrastructure initiatives aimed at boosting economic activities in the state.

During the protest, the families of the abducted engineers said the matter had evolved into a prolonged personal tragedy marked by uncertainty and emotional distress.

Mrs Esther Aneke, wife of one of the engineers, Samuel Aneke, appealed to the federal government to assist in locating her husband or provide clarity on his fate.

She said, “I am the wife of engineer Samuel Chibike Aneke who went to work. He left me in Adamawa State on October 30, 2021, to Ebonyi State. I was two months and two weeks pregnant when he left. Since then, I have not seen him and I have not seen his corpse. Please, I am asking for justice. Wherever my husband is, they should release him,” she said.

Also, the mother of another missing engineer, Stanley Nwazulum, lamented the hardship the family has faced since her son disappeared.

“My son is the youngest among the engineers. He was just 33 years old. He used to take care of my hospital bills. Since 2021, I have not seen him and I do not know where he is. I need justice for my son. I want the government to tell me where my son is,” she added.

The protesters alleged that several efforts made by the families to obtain updates on the investigation had not yielded meaningful responses from the relevant authorities.

On Monday, the minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, who was the governor of Ebonyi State when the incident occurred, said the engineers were killed in communal clash.