David Umahi on Monday faced protests at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works in Mabushi, Abuja, as families, friends and human rights activists demanded justice over the disappearance of five engineers in Ebonyi State nearly five years ago.
According to SAHARAREPORTS and pictures going round the internet, the protesters, dressed in black T-shirts and carrying placards, stormed the ministry’s main gate, calling on the minister to provide answers regarding the fate of the engineers who vanished in November 2021 under circumstances that remain unresolved.
The demonstrators insisted that the victims’ families deserved justice and closure, lamenting that despite the passage of years, there has been no clear outcome from investigations into the case.
They also demanded the release of the engineers’ bodies and urged authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into what they described as a mysterious and troubling disappearance.
During the protest, the group submitted a letter of complaint to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, who received the document on behalf of the minister. The protesters later proceeded to the office of the National Human Rights Commission to escalate their demands.
The protest follows earlier calls by the families for a fresh probe into the disappearance of the engineers, who were working with Nelan Consultants, a firm supervising the African Development Bank-funded Abakaliki Ring Road project in Ebonyi State.
The engineers were identified as Nelson Onyemeh, Engr. Stanley Nwazulum, Engr. Samuel Aneke, Engr. Ernest Edeani and Engr. Ikechukwu Ejiofor.
Family members said the engineers travelled to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on November 3, 2021, after being invited for a meeting allegedly linked to issues surrounding the supervision of the Abakaliki Ring Road project.
However, shortly after arriving in the state capital, the five engineers reportedly disappeared, sparking fears and suspicions among their relatives and professional associates.
According to the families, the engineers had earlier been involved in disputes with the Ebonyi State government over aspects of the road project funded by the African Development Bank.
They alleged that the then governor had asked Nelan Consultants to step aside from supervising the project so the state government could assume direct control. The firm reportedly rejected the request, citing contractual obligations and the risk of being blacklisted by the development bank.
Relatives further claimed that the engineers were pressured to approve certificates of satisfactory completion for work carried out by other engineers, a move they refused, insisting they could not certify projects they had not supervised.
The families believe the disputes led to the planned meeting with the then governor shortly before the engineers vanished.
Despite repeated appeals and petitions to relevant authorities over the years, the families say they have received little information regarding the whereabouts of the engineers or the progress of any investigation into their disappearance.
They have now called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to reopen the case and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.