Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mr. Kingsley Ashibogwu, has denied allegations that he ordered the assault of a Deputy Director in the ministry, Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, who died after a reported confrontation at the ministry.
Ashibogwu, reacting to reports linking him to the incident, said he never instructed anyone to beat or physically attack Adeda, insisting that he only intervened after receiving distress calls about the deputy director’s alleged violent behaviour.
The commissioner said the Director of Examinations had contacted him, reporting that Adeda had attacked people and threatened to kill anyone who attempted to approach him.
According to him, he proceeded to the scene to ascertain what was happening and possibly calm the situation.
“When I encountered him, I asked whether he knew me, but he said he did not want to know me and threatened to attack anyone who came near him,” Ashibogwu said.
He alleged that Adeda became aggressive during their encounter and attacked him, stressing that he had never authorised anyone to assault the deceased.
Ashibogwu, who described himself as a non-violent person, urged the public and the media to resist speculation and allow investigators to establish the facts surrounding the controversial incident.
The development followed an incident at the ministry’s Exams and Standards Department, located off Mariam Babangida Way, where Adeda was reportedly involved in an altercation before he was eventually taken for medical attention.
Sources within the ministry said Adeda, who had recently been redeployed as Chief Inspector of Education for Isoko South, had been posted to the Science Education Department, with his office located at the state secretariat.
The sources alleged that instead of going to his new department, he drove to the Exams and Standards Department, where he reportedly used his vehicle to ram into vehicles and property within the premises.
Video footage purportedly showing the incident is said to be in circulation and has reportedly been made available to investigators.
Ministry workers have subsequently called for a thorough and transparent investigation to establish what transpired before, during and after the incident.
“There is considerable ambiguity surrounding the incident. No conclusion should be reached without a proper investigation,” a staff member said.
The workers appealed to the police and other relevant authorities to conduct a discreet and professional investigation, warning against the circulation of unverified claims capable of heightening tension.
Ashibogwu also called for the investigation to be guided by available evidence, including video footage and relevant medical information.
He maintained that a proper investigation remained necessary to establish the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the events that preceded Adeda’s death.
