Former Deputy President of the Senate Ovie Omo-Agege has called on Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education Kingsley Ashibogwu to step aside while police and a state administrative panel investigate the death of ministry Deputy Director Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda in Asaba. The circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death have not yet been established.
Key Highlights
- Omo-Agege said Ashibogwu should temporarily withdraw from office to support public confidence in the investigations.
- Police are investigating complaints alleging that Adeda was assaulted by three individuals.
- Police said Lucky Adoh has been arrested, while Enos Attah and Oputa Okestine are being sought.
- The Delta Government has set up an eight-member panel with two weeks to report.
- Ashibogwu has denied ordering or participating in an assault and says he was injured in the confrontation.
- The competing accounts and cause of Adeda’s death remain under investigation.
Omo-Agege Calls for Ashibogwu to Step Aside
In a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, Omo-Agege said Ashibogwu’s temporary withdrawal from office could help restore public confidence in the investigation.
He said the exact circumstances and cause of Adeda’s death had yet to be established, but argued that allegations involving individuals linked to the commissioner warranted a thorough and transparent inquiry. Omo-Agege said stepping aside would not amount to an admission of guilt, but would be a measure to protect confidence in the process.
He commended the police investigation and called for anyone found culpable to face the law. He also demanded that the findings of the administrative panel and the police investigation be made public.
Police Arrest One, Search for Two Others
The Delta State Police Command said it received complaints alleging that Adeda was physically assaulted during an incident at the Ministry of Secondary Education in Asaba. Police identified Lucky Adoh, Enos Attah and Oputa Okestine as individuals named in the complaint.
Police said Adoh had been arrested and efforts were ongoing to locate Attah and Okestine. Commissioner of Police Samuel Erale directed the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the incident and Adeda’s subsequent death. A report on the police announcement gives further details of the arrest and investigation.
Omo-Agege said the case also raised concerns about the safety of civil servants in government offices and urged that the matter not be allowed to fade from public attention.
Read also:
- Police Arrest Suspect Over Death Of Delta Education Ministry Official, Launch Manhunt For 2 Other Suspects
- Delta Govt Sets Up Panel to Probe Death of Deputy Director Adeda Ekwevbughe
- Isoko Development Union Calls for Calm After Death of Delta Civil Servant in Asaba
Union, Activist Call for Calm and Accountability
The Isoko Development Union’s Asaba branch appealed for calm, saying the cause of death had not been independently established and that it was conducting its own inquiries. The union said it would follow the matter to its conclusion.
Human rights activist Israel Joe separately called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to suspend Ashibogwu pending the outcome of the investigation. Joe also urged investigators to examine allegations involving the commissioner and his aides. Those allegations have not been established by investigators or a court.
Ashibogwu Denies Ordering Assault
Ashibogwu has denied ordering anyone to assault Adeda or personally taking part in an attack. The commissioner said he went to the scene after receiving a distress call from the Director of Examinations and alleged that Adeda attacked him during the confrontation.
The commissioner’s account and the allegations made to police are competing claims. The investigations have not determined responsibility or established the cause of Adeda’s death.
Delta Government Sets Up Inquiry Panel
The Delta State Government has constituted an eight-member Administrative Panel of Inquiry, chaired by Charity Ehimen, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service. The panel has two weeks to complete its assignment.
The administrative inquiry and police investigation are proceeding separately. Police said investigators would examine available evidence, including eyewitness accounts and medical records, before determining whether anyone was culpable.
The investigation remains ongoing. Follow us on X for updates.
By Gabriel Elozino
