Nearly five years after five engineers vanished during an official assignment in Ebonyi State, the wife of one of the missing men has renewed calls for accountability, alleging that key government institutions have failed to uncover what happened to them.
In an emotional interview with SaharaReporters, the woman accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force of concealing the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the engineers. The allegations have not been independently verified, and there has been no public response from the accused authorities in the report.
Wife Demands Answers From Authorities
The woman said the families have spent years seeking answers without success, insisting they deserve to know the fate of their loved ones.
She questioned why investigations by security agencies had not produced any breakthrough and urged Nigerians to demand accountability from those responsible for handling the case.
“David Umahi, the DSS and the police should tell the families of the five NELAN engineers what happened to them. They are all involved in the cover-up,” she alleged during the interview with SaharaReporters.
She also claimed there had been no genuine effort to establish the truth behind the engineers’ disappearance.
Alleges Former Governor Threatened Legal Action
Recounting what she described as her last interaction with Umahi, the woman alleged that the former Ebonyi State governor threatened to take legal action against her after she continued demanding answers.
According to her, the conversation took place in 2021.
“Umahi threatened that he would go after me with his lawyers. He said he would never help in the search for the engineers. That was the last conversation I had with Umahi before he blocked me,” she claimed.
She further alleged that Umahi and Chioma Nweze, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South East), should explain what happened to the missing engineers.
Families Petition Top Institutions
The renewed allegations come after the families of the missing consultants petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), seeking intervention in the case.
The petition, filed through human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), alleged a conspiracy involving the Ebonyi State High Court, the police, and influential individuals to conceal the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
The petition was submitted on behalf of the wives and relatives of the five missing consultants:
- Engr. Nelson Onyemeh
- Engr. Ernest Edeani
- Engr. Ikechukwu Ejiofor
- Engr. Samuel Aneke
- Engr. Stanley Nwazulum
Engineers Disappeared After Official Meeting
According to the families, the engineers were consultants with NELAN Consulting Limited, supervising the African Development Bank (AfDB)-funded Ring Road Project in Ebonyi State.
They said the consultants travelled to Abakaliki in November 2021 for a meeting organised by the Ebonyi State Government during Umahi’s administration but allegedly disappeared after arriving in the state.
The petition further claimed the consulting firm had faced hostility from the then governor after allegedly refusing to compromise its professional responsibilities on the project.
The families also alleged that the firm’s lead consultant, Engr. Nelson Onyemeh, received repeated threats before the disappearance.
Case Remains Unresolved
The whereabouts of the five engineers remain unknown, and their families continue to seek answers over the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
The case remains one of Nigeria’s unresolved missing persons investigations. While the families have continued to raise serious allegations and pursue legal intervention, no official findings have been made public identifying those responsible or explaining what happened to the engineers…..See More
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