Families of five missing engineers have staged a protest in Abuja, calling for renewed action over the disappearance of their relatives during a project in Ebonyi State.
According to a report from 2:15 by Arise Television aired on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the engineers, who worked with NELAN Consultants, were last heard from on November 3, 2021, when they visited the Abakaliki Ring Road project site to carry out supervisory duties.
The Abakaliki Ring Road project, valued at $150 million, was funded by the African Development Bank, with NELAN Consultants appointed to oversee its execution.
The report stated that the visit marked the last contact between the engineers and their families, with no confirmed communication since that date.
The protest, held at the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, brought together family members, colleagues, and associates of the missing individuals, who are seeking clarity on the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
During the protest, the families accused the Ebonyi State government under former governor and current Minister of Works, David Umahi, as well as the police, of a cover-up in the matter.
Authorities in the state had earlier maintained that the engineers were killed by a bandit, now deceased, and buried in a bush. However, attempts to recover the bodies have reportedly not been successful.
Family members also raised concerns regarding the remains previously handed over to them. According to the report, autopsies conducted on some of the bodies allegedly retrieved and presented by the state government yielded negative results.
Speaking during the protest, Uzo Ngonadi addressed developments in the investigation. He said: “Investigations were ongoing. All of a sudden, the DSS officer who was investigating the matter was summarily dismissed. He was sacked for no reason. So we smell a rat.”
Ngonadi further stated: “We have taken several steps. We asked for their bodies. Bones were released to us.” He added: “We went all the way to America to conduct a DNA test on those bones and those bones happened to be bones of women. Meanwhile, what we are looking for, men.” Read_More…