African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in Delta State, Engr. Isaac Eshor, has called for a thorough, transparent and independent investigation into the death of Mr. Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a Deputy Director in the Delta State Ministry of Secondary Education.
Eshor, in a statement made available to journalists, described Adeda’s death as tragic and urged relevant authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the law.
The AAC candidate’s call comes amid an ongoing police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.
According to the Delta State Police Command, a complaint was received alleging that Adeda was physically assaulted during an incident at the office of the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Dr. Kingsley Ashibogwu, in Asaba. The police said three aides to the commissioner — Enos Attah, Oputa Okestine and Lucky Adoh — were named in the complaint. Lucky Adoh has been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other two.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, has directed the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the matter. Police said investigators would examine available evidence, including video recordings, eyewitness accounts and medical records, before determining whether anyone is culpable.
Eshor urged the authorities to allow investigators to work without interference, stressing that the circumstances surrounding the death should be established through due process.
He also expressed concern over what he described as allegations of intimidation and abuse of authority in some government offices, calling for accountability and respect for the rights and dignity of civil servants.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding Adeda’s death has triggered industrial action in the state. Workers under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) shut the Prof. Chike Odozien Secretariat in Asaba on September 25, demanding answers and assurances concerning the safety of civil servants.
The Delta State Government has also constituted an eight-member Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death. The panel, chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Charity Ehimen, includes representatives of the state government and organised labour. It has been given two weeks to submit its report.
The state government has said the police investigation will proceed alongside the administrative inquiry and has assured civil servants of the safety of their work environment.
Eshor further called on security agencies and other relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation and prosecute any person found to have violated the law, irrespective of status or political affiliation.
He maintained that the death of a public servant in circumstances connected to an incident at a government workplace should receive serious official attention, urging authorities to ensure that the outcome of the investigations is made known to the public.
The AAC candidate also appealed for calm while investigations continue, saying that establishing the facts through credible and transparent processes would help protect public confidence in the state’s institutions.
As of the time of filing this report, no investigation had publicly established that any particular individual was responsible for Adeda’s death. The allegations remain subject to ongoing police and administrative investigations.
