A deputy director in the Delta State Ministry of Secondary Education, Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, has reportedly died after he was allegedly beaten at the ministry’s premises in Asaba.
According to SaharaReporters, the state Commissioner for Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu, was accused by a ministry source of ordering Adeda’s beating by his police orderly and driver following a disagreement involving the deceased and the Director of Examinations.
The source said, “The deceased had an issue with the Director of Examinations, who called in the commissioner. When the commissioner arrived, instead of handling the matter maturely, he ordered the deceased to be beaten.”
The source alleged that Adeda was subsequently detained before he was taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba, where he later died.
A sister of the deceased confirmed his death but said the family had not been fully briefed on what led to the incident.
She said, “Though, as we speak, we have not been briefed about what actually led to his being beaten to death. I was not there, but that was the information available to us.”
Ashibogwu, however, denied ordering or participating in the alleged assault. He said he was called to the ministry after Adeda allegedly became violent.
“I only got a distress call from my Director of Examinations that there was a man attacking them and threatening to kill anyone who came his way. I rushed to the scene and saw the man,” he said.
The commissioner added, “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 conflicting accounts could not be independently resolved, while the Delta State Police Command had not responded to requests for confirmation or details of any investigation as of press time.
