*NUF Mobilises for Massive Protest
*Calls on international community to intervene
By Alphonsus Nweze
The Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) and Campaign for Democracy (CD), South East, have demanded for immediate setting up of Commission of Inquiry by the Ebonyi State Government to unravel the whereabouts of five NELAN Consultants.
The five engineers were abducted on November 3, 2021, while on official duty at Ring Road phase two project in Effium, Ezza in Ebonyi State.
The engineers abducted are Nelson Onyemeh, Ernest Edeani, Ikechukwu Ejiofor, Samuel Aneke, and Stanley Nwazulum.
The hunan right bodies in a statement asked Governor Umahi to constitute a Commission of Inquiry without further delay to find out what led to the abduction and possible killing of the engineers.
The groups in a joint statement signed by Dede Uzor A Uzor, said they learnt that immediately after the abduction, one of the suspects called a family member of one of the victims, demanding N48m.
Up till date, the abductor who claimed to be the youth leader of other abductors have not prevailed on his boys to release their captives.
The groups said the State Governor therefore should as a matter of urgency empanel a Commission of Inquiry to be headed by a retired Judge with senior security operatives and other well meaning individuals as members.
They should not only unravel the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping but to unravel why they have not released the victims or their bodies if they have killed them and where they might have dumped them.
In the same vein, Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) has called all well meaning Ndigbo to join in the move to rescue these five engineers by joining in a protest against the continued holding of the five citizens by Effium, Ezza kidnappers.
The group in their statement said, “We call on all NUF members in the entire South East and other stakeholders; drivers, Keke operators, Okada riders, religious leaders, traders, students and all well meaning citizens of the world to join in this mother of all protest to demand for the immediate release of our sons and brothers. Those who are liable for their kidnap should be made to face justice
NUF also called on the international community to prevail on Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State to set machinery in motion to produce the five engineers kidnapped in his State by Effium, Ezza youths.
They said that the engineers had embarked on the construction at Effium in Ezza Ring Road phase2 in Ebonyi State but was kidnapped by the youth of the community and since then no person had seen them again with the 2020 model HILUX vehicle
Appeals and cajole to produce the engineers or their dead bodies for proper burial if they had been killed, failed.
The Ebonyi State Police Command last week mobilised crack team led by DSP Bruno Chukwu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and Officer in Charge (OC) of Anti kidnapping of the State Police Command among other professionals numbering about 30 to conduct a special operation over the missing engineers.
They were however ambushed by the hoodlums, killed two Policemen and injured about five others in the exchange of fire that ensued.
But the Governor seemed to be foot dragging in arresting the hoodlums that will help in releasing the engineers or recovering their bodies if they have been killed.
We also urge the Governor to constitute a special Commission of enquiry to unravel circumstances leading to the missing of five Engineers which include Engrs. Nelson Onyemeh, Enerst Edeani,Ikechukwu Ejiofor, Samuel Aneke, and Stanley Nwazulum of NELAN CONSULTANT working for Ring Road Phase 2 projects
The NUF in their statement after an Emergency General Meeting in Enugu State called on United Nations, European Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, African Union and ECOWAS to prevail on Governor Umahi to produce these five engineers dead or alive.
In the statement signed by their Publicity Secretary, Unah Zachcius Unah, the group also called on the United States of America (USA) President, Canadian Prime Minister, British Prime Minister to ask Governor Umahi to work hard to produce the innocent citizens without further delay.
Recall that the duo of the Ohaukwu Local Government Area citizens, Bar Omekannaya Odah and a House of Assembly member Hon Chinedu Awo had allegedly engaged on supremacy over who control motor park which led to the crisis around January 23, 2021.
The duo should be arrested and made to be responsible for the ongoing atrocious criminal activities going on in Ezza/Effium communities
They noted that failure to release the engineers would continue to cause traumatic, emotional burden and nightmare for the families.
“It is an embarrassment to Ebonyi State and Federal Government for five engineers to be missing in their legitimate duty without being recovered since November 3, 2021.” NUF cautioned.
December 10, 2021
