A senior official of the Delta State Ministry of Secondary Education has died after an alleged altercation involving the state Commissioner for Secondary Education, the ministry and family sources said on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a deputy director in the ministry.
Adeda died after allegedly being beaten at the ministry in Asaba, the state capital, according to two ministry staff and a family member who spoke to SaharaReporters. They alleged the beating was carried out by Commissioner Kingsley Ashibogwu, his police orderly and his driver.
The family has not been fully briefed on the circumstances of the incident, a sister of the deceased told SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity.
“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,” she said.
A ministry staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident began after the commissioner asked Adeda if he knew him and Adeda said he did not.
“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, Asaba and later died,” the staff member said.
The staff member said Adeda was later taken to Asaba Specialist Hospital, where his body was deposited at the mortuary.
According to the source, Adeda had recently been redeployed from the ministry’s field office in Isoko South Local Government Area following a disagreement with the director of examinations, who then contacted the commissioner.
Reuters could not independently verify the video of the incident which sources said was in the possession of the director of examinations.
Commissioner Ashibogwu denied ordering or taking part in any beating.
“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 told SaharaReporters.
“I asked if he knows me but he said he does not need to me, saying he will kill anyone that comes his way,” he said, adding that Adeda became violent and attacked him.
“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,” he said.
A spokesman for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Calls and messages to Delta State police spokesperson Bright Edafe seeking confirmation and comment on whether an investigation had been opened were not returned as of press time.