Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that the five engineers from NELAN Consulting Engineers who went missing in Ebonyi State in 2021 were caught in the violent communal conflict between the Effium and Ezza-Effium communities and were not deliberately targeted.

The minister made the clarification in a statement issued by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, following a protest by wives and relatives of the missing engineers demanding clarity on the fate of their husbands.

According to the statement, the engineers disappeared on November 3, 2021, during the height of the violent crisis between the Effium and Ezza-Effium communities in Ebonyi State.

Umahi explained that the incident occurred amid widespread violence that engulfed the area, resulting in the destruction of lives and property and creating severe insecurity.

He said the engineers were among several victims affected by the communal unrest that rocked the area at the time.

“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 the incident 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.

The minister recalled that once the disappearance was reported, the state government under his leadership immediately mobilised security agencies to begin a search and investigation.

He said he personally visited the scene of the incident alongside security operatives as part of efforts to determine what happened to the engineers.

According to the statement, the investigation eventually led to the arrest of several suspects believed to have been involved in the killing.

The suspects reportedly confessed to committing the crime and have remained in custody while the matter is being prosecuted in court.

The statement added that the case has continued in court even after Umahi left office as governor in 2023.

Umahi stressed that his administration did not abandon or suppress the case, noting that swift action was taken to ensure the suspects were arrested and handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

He further explained that the communal conflict in Effium created a dangerous environment that claimed many innocent lives, including those of the engineers.

While extending condolences to the bereaved families, the minister urged the public to be guided by facts and respect the ongoing judicial process when discussing the matter.

Umahi reaffirmed his commitment to justice, truth and the rule of law, while praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and strength for their families.