Nigeria, March 18 -- Nigeria's Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has clarified that five engineers from NELAN Consulting Engineers who went missing during the Effium crisis in Ebonyi State were victims of the wider communal violence between Effium and Ezza-Effium Communities.

In a statement by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, on Monday, Mr Umahi explained that the engineers were not specifically targeted during the incident, but were among many victims of the crisis that engulfed the area at the time.

The minister's clarification came in response to a peaceful protest by family members and friends of the late engineers.

The engineers were abducted in November 2021 by armed men while supervising the Abakaliki Ring Road project in Ebonyi Stat...