By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Nearly four years after five engineers working on a major road project in Ebonyi State were abducted, their wives and relatives on Monday stormed the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, demanding answers about the fate of their loved ones.

The women, joined by civil society organisations, carried placards and chanted appeals for government intervention, saying the long silence surrounding the disappearance of the engineers has deepened the emotional trauma facing their families.

The missing engineers- Nelson Onyemeh, Ernest Edeani, Ikechukwu Ejiofor, Samuel Aneke, and Stanley Nwazulum ,were reportedly kidnapped by armed men in November 2021 while supervising construction work on the Abakaliki Ring Road project.

The road project, financed by the African Development Bank, was designed to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity within Ebonyi State’s capital.

The protesters accused authorities of prolonged silence and inadequate action since the abduction occurred in November 2021.

Speaking during the protest, Mrs Esther Aneke, whose husband, Engineer Samuel Aneke, was among those abducted, recounted how he left home for work while she was pregnant.

“My name is Mrs Esther Aneke. My husband left me in Adamawa on October 30, 2021, when I was two months and two weeks pregnant to resume work in Ebonyi. Since then, I have not seen him. I have not even seen his corpse,” she said tearfully.

Also speaking, the mother of engineer Stanley Nwazulum described the devastating toll her son’s disappearance has taken on the family.

“My son was only 33 years old and the youngest among the engineers. He used to take care of my hospital bills. Since 2021, we have not seen him. I don’t know where my son is,” she said. “Please, I need justice.”

According to the protesters, repeated attempts by the families to obtain information from relevant authorities have yielded little progress.

Civil society organisations at the protest called on government authorities to intensify investigations and ensure transparency in handling the case.

Responding on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Works, the Director of Human Resources, Ahmad Muhammad, said the matter is currently before a court and primarily falls under the jurisdiction of Ebonyi State.

He urged the protesters to channel their grievances through appropriate legal and state authorities, noting that the ministry cannot interfere with a matter already before the court.

However, the families insisted that the Federal Government must intervene given that the project involved international financing and public infrastructure development.

The demonstration underscored growing concerns about the vulnerability of construction workers and contractors operating in regions affected by insecurity.

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