The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law on Monday tackled the Ebonyi State Government over the case of five missing site engineers in Effium, in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.
A consultant engineering firm, Nelan Consultants, had on November 3, 2021, deployed five engineers to a road project at Effium in Ebonyi in continuation of routine supervisory works on the Abakiliki Ring Road project but they went missing in the conflict-torn community.
In a statement signed by the Intersociety board chair, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and three other executives, the non-governmental organisation noted that no positive outcome has emerged concerning the engineers’ disappearance after 90 days.
This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Police, Government Of Ebonyi Dangerously Covering Up Abduction And Disappearance Of Five NELAN Engineers.”
The statement partly read, “The present Government of Ebonyi State have been responsible for continued abduction and disappearance of the five NELAN Field Engineers since 3rd November 2021 at the construction site of the AfDB funded $150m Ebonyi Ring Road Phase 2 Project located at Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“Their high profile abduction and disappearance have lasted for almost three months or ninety days-with nothing concrete coming out of same. While the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force have continued to chase shadows including wastage of public funds and dissipation of much energy on irrelevancies and frivolities, the Government of Ebonyi State is busy dictatorially distracting the public and diverting their attention and has appeared to be exploiting possible loopholes to escape complicity in furtherance of clear abdication of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
“This is to the extent that the reaction of the State Government issued on 21st Dec 2021 was filled with contradictions and self indictments and failed to address the main issues till date.”
Stating their demand for a proper investigation, Intersociety added, “The Investigative Findings under demand must include the whereabouts or locations of the abducted and disappeared Engineers, whether they are still alive or killed in captivity by their abductors/captors, why they were abducted and disappeared, who and who was responsible for abducting and disappearing them, the whereabouts or locations of their abductees or slayers (whether in custody or facing investigation/prosecution or still at large), who procured them to perpetrate the dastardly act (state actors or troublesome non-state actors?) and who and who has been aiding and abetting their heinous act. Such investigative findings or their highlights must be weekly made public by the DIG-FCID, joined by the CP of Ebonyi State Police Command and ACP/DCP in charge of the State CID.
“The Ebonyi State Government and the present leadership of the Nigeria Police Force are strongly reminded that crimes have no expiring dates to be investigated and prosecuted and not even the ‘immunity of office’ can stop same.”
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