Delta State civil servants on Friday staged a mass protest at the Prof. Chike Edosien Secretariat in Asaba, demanding the immediate arrest and investigation of the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu, following the death of a Deputy Director in the ministry after an alleged altercation on the ministry’s premises.
The protesters, who gathered at the secretariat along Mariam Babangida Way, demanded the arrest of Ashibogwu, his driver, Amos Atah, his police orderly, Celestine Opute, and another individual identified as David.
They also called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the Inspector-General of Police and the Delta State Commissioner of Police to urgently investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda.
The protesters further demanded the removal and arrest of the commissioner and the other persons they accused of involvement in the incident, insisting that anyone found culpable should face justice.
The protest followed the death of Adeda, a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Secondary Education, who was allegedly assaulted at the ministry on Thursday after an altercation.
According to accounts attributed to ministry staff, Adeda was allegedly beaten by the commissioner, his driver and his police orderly before he reportedly collapsed and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.
He was later reportedly taken to Asaba Specialist Hospital, where his remains were deposited in the mortuary.
A sister of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed his death but said the family had not been fully briefed about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
She said, “Though, as we talk, we have not been briefed about what actually led to his beating to death. I was not there but that was the information at our disposal. Even the video of the incident is currently with the director of examinations in the state.”
A ministry staff member, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the incident followed a disagreement between Adeda and the Director of Examinations, who reportedly contacted the commissioner.
The staff member alleged that when Ashibogwu arrived at the ministry, he asked Adeda whether he knew him and that the deceased reportedly replied that he did not.
The source further alleged that the commissioner subsequently ordered his driver and police orderly to beat Adeda.
“Though, I was not there when the incident happened, but what we heard was that, the commissioner asked Mr. Unity, if he knows him, he replied he doesn’t know him, the commissioner then ordered his police and driver to beat him up and he was mercilessly beaten by the commissioner, his police orderly and driver and he fell into coma before he was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Asaba and later died,” the source alleged.
The staff member further claimed that Adeda was detained after the alleged beating instead of being immediately taken to hospital.
“Sadly, after beating him, rather than taking him to the hospital for treatment, the commissioner ordered that he be detained again. The video of everything that happened is with the director of exams,” the source alleged.
The source said Adeda had recently been redeployed from the ministry’s field office in Isoko South Local Government Area.
He alleged that the confrontation was connected to an earlier disagreement between Adeda and the Director of Examinations.
“The deceased had an issue with the director of exams and the director called in the commissioner. As the commissioner came, instead of handling the issue in a mature way, he ordered the beating of the deceased,” the source claimed.
However, Ashibogwu denied ordering anyone to beat Adeda or personally participating in any assault against him.
The commissioner said he was invited to the ministry after receiving a distress call from the Director of Examinations, who allegedly reported that Adeda was attacking people and threatening to kill anyone who approached him.
“I only got a distress call from my director of exams that there is man attacking them and threatening to kill anyone that comes his way. I rushed down to the scene and saw the man,” Ashibogwu said.
According to the commissioner, he asked Adeda whether he knew him, but the deceased allegedly responded that he did not want to know him and threatened to attack anyone who came his way.
“I asked if he knows me but he said he does not need to me, saying he will kill anyone that comes his way. I have not met him once, apart from one time he was accused of extortion and I called to caution him. At that point, he became violent and began to attack me. I was left with wounds,” he said.
Ashibogwu denied ordering Adeda’s assault or participating in any beating.
“I never ordered anybody to attack or beat him. I am not a violent person. I can’t lie against a dead body, God bears me witness,” the commissioner said.
The conflicting accounts surrounding the incident could not be independently resolved as of the time of filing the report.
The development has, however, triggered tension within the Ministry of Secondary Education and the Prof. Chike Edosien Secretariat, with workers demanding accountability and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.
During the protest, the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Kingsley Emu, reportedly visited the secretariat and appealed to the protesting civil servants to return to work, assuring them that the state government was already handling the matter.
The appeal did not immediately end the agitation, as labour leaders reportedly vowed to continue the protest until the commissioner and others allegedly involved in the incident are arrested and brought to justice.
The protesters also called for the intervention of the Nigeria Police Force and demanded that anyone found responsible for Adeda’s death be prosecuted.
Governor Oborevwori was reportedly informed about the incident.
Adeda’s death has generated significant concern among workers at the ministry, particularly over the conflicting accounts of what transpired before he was taken to hospital.
The family of the deceased has also called for clarity on the circumstances surrounding his death, while workers and labour leaders are demanding an official investigation.
Efforts to obtain the position of the Delta State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, seeking confirmation of the incident and clarification on whether an investigation had commenced were not responded to as of press time.
The allegations against Ashibogwu, his driver, police orderly and the other individual named in connection with the incident remain allegations pending the outcome of an official investigation.