Amid protests over the mysterious disappearance of the five missing NELAN Consulting Engineers about five years ago, Nigeria’s controversial Minister of Works, David Umahi, has finally spoken out blaming their deaths on the violent communal conflict between the people of Effium and Ezza Effium.
Reacting to a protest on Monday by families and sympathisers of the engineers whose sudden disappearance raised suspicions of the then governor’s complicity, Umahi, in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, acknowledged the grief of the affected families but insisted that the incident was thoroughly investigated during his tenure as governor of Ebonyi State.
He said suspects were arrested, confessed to the crime, and had been in custody while the case had remained in court.
In the statement, the Works Minister expressed deep sympathy for the families who lost their loved ones in the tragic incident.
Nwaze said, “First and foremost, the Minister acknowledges the deep pain that comes with the loss of loved ones. The death of the NELAN engineers remains a painful tragedy. No family deserves such grief, and the Honourable Minister understands the weight of that loss.”
Noting that the incident occurred on November 3, 2021, during one of the most violent periods of the Effium–Ezza Effium communal conflict, the statement explained that the engineers were not singled out for attack but were victims of the larger violence that engulfed the area at the time.
“The unfortunate disappearance of the engineers occurred at the height of the violent Effium vs. Ezza Effium communal conflict, a crisis that consumed lives and properties and threw the area into severe insecurity.
“The engineers were not singled out in isolation; they were victims of a wider conflict that tragically claimed many lives during that period”, Nwaze stated.
He said, “As Governor then, he worked tirelessly to restore order and address the conflict that had devastated the area”.
According to him, “Immediately the information about the incident reached the then Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, CON, he swiftly mobilised security agencies and launched intensive search and investigative efforts to determine the whereabouts of the engineers and bring the perpetrators to justice”, adding that “He personally visited the incident site with security operatives and was directly involved in the search efforts. He never treated the matter lightly and never looked away from the responsibility of the state to pursue the truth.”
Nwaze revealed that “These efforts led to the arrest of individuals involved in the dastardly act”, stating that “Those arrested confessed to committing the crime, and they have remained in custody since then”.
He said, “The matter is still before the court, and the judicial process continues even after Senator Umahi left office as Governor.”
Dismissing alleged abandonment of the case, Umahi’s spokesperson posited that “It must therefore be clearly understood that the government under Senator Umahi did not abandon the matter, suppress it, or fail to act. Swift investigative actions were taken, arrests were made, and the suspects were handed over to the justice system, where the case continues to be prosecuted.”
Umahi therefore urged the public to allow the judicial process to run its course while discussions about the tragedy continue.
Nwaze however cautioned that “While the Minister sympathises deeply with the families and understands their grief, it is important that public discourse on this painful matter remains guided by facts and the ongoing judicial process.”
The statement emphasised that “Senator Engr. David Umahi remains committed to justice, truth, and the rule of law, and he continues to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and for strength for their families.”