BREAKING: Tears In Delta State As Commissioner, Police Orderly, Driver Allegedly Beat Deputy Director to Death
Tension has reportedly gripped the Delta State Ministry of Secondary Education and the Prof. Chike Edosie Secretariat in Asaba following the alleged death of a senior staff member after an altercation at the ministry.
The deceased was identified as Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Secondary Education.
According to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, Adeda allegedly died after he was beaten at the ministry on Thursday by the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu, his police orderly and driver.
A sister of the deceased confirmed his death but said the family was yet to receive a full account of what transpired.
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 also alleged that the incident began after the commissioner asked Adeda whether he knew him.
According to the staff member, Adeda reportedly said he did not know the commissioner, after which the commissioner allegedly ordered his police orderly and driver to beat him.
The source claimed that Adeda was severely beaten, fell into a coma and was subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, where he later died.
His remains were reportedly deposited at the mortuary of the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
The source further disclosed that Adeda had recently been redeployed from the ministry’s field office in Isoko South Local Government Area.
It was also alleged that the incident followed a disagreement between Adeda and the Director of Examinations, who reportedly contacted the commissioner over the matter.
The staff member alleged that rather than resolving the dispute, the commissioner ordered the assault.
The source further claimed that Adeda was detained after the alleged beating instead of being taken immediately to a hospital.
“The video of everything that happened is with the director of exams,” the source said.
It was gathered that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has been informed about the incident.
However, Commissioner Ashibogwu strongly denied ordering the assault or participating in any beating.
Speaking, the commissioner said he was called to the ministry after receiving what he described as a distress call from the Director of Examinations.
“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,” he said.
Ashibogwu said he asked Adeda whether he knew him, but claimed the deceased responded that he did not need to know him and threatened to attack anyone who approached him.
The commissioner further alleged that Adeda became violent and attacked him, leaving him with injuries.
“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,” Ashibogwu said.
He denied ordering anyone to beat Adeda or taking part in any assault.
“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 verified as of the time of filing this report.
Calls and messages sent to the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, seeking confirmation of the incident and information on whether an investigation had commenced, were not responded to as of press time.
