ASABA, Nigeria — A deputy director in the Delta State Ministry of Secondary Education has died after an altercation at the ministry’s headquarters in Asaba, prompting conflicting accounts over whether he was assaulted by the state’s education commissioner and two of his aides.
Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda died after the confrontation at the Prof. Chike Edosie Secretariat, according to a report by SaharaReporters, which cited a relative and a ministry employee.
Kingsley Ashibogwu, the Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, denied directing anyone to attack Adeda or participating in an assault. He said Adeda had instead become violent and attacked him.
The competing accounts could not be independently reconciled.
On Friday, September 25, 2026, the news organisation reported that Adeda’s family had been informed that he was beaten during the incident but had not received a complete account of what occurred.
Family Says Details Remain Unclear
A sister of Adeda, who was not identified, confirmed his death to news outlets but said she had not witnessed the confrontation.
She said information available to the family indicated that Adeda had been beaten.
She also said a video of the incident was believed to be in the possession of the state’s Director of Examinations.
A ministry employee, who also spoke anonymously and said he did not witness the incident, said colleagues had been told that Ashibogwu asked Adeda whether he knew him.
According to that account, Adeda replied that he did not, after which the commissioner allegedly ordered his police orderly and driver to assault him. The employee alleged that Ashibogwu also took part in the attack and that Adeda collapsed afterwards.
Adeda was subsequently taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba, where he later died, the employee said. His remains were moved to the mortuary at Asaba Specialist Hospital.
The ministry employee said Adeda had recently been transferred from the ministry’s field office in Isoko South Local Government Area.
Disagreement Said to Have Preceded Confrontation
The employee linked the episode to an earlier disagreement between Adeda and the Director of Examinations.
According to the account, the director contacted Ashibogwu after the disagreement, bringing the commissioner to the ministry.
The employee further alleged that Adeda was detained after the confrontation rather than being taken immediately for medical treatment.
The news organisation reported that Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had been informed about the incident.
Commissioner Gives Different Account
Ashibogwu rejected the allegations and told SaharaReporters that he went to the ministry after the Director of Examinations contacted him about a man who was allegedly attacking people and threatening anyone who approached him.
The commissioner identified the man as Adeda and said he asked him whether he knew him.
Ashibogwu said Adeda responded aggressively, threatened people around him, and later attacked the commissioner, leaving him injured.
He said his only previous encounter with Adeda had occurred after the official was accused of extortion and Ashibogwu contacted him to caution him about the allegation.
Ashibogwu denied ordering his police orderly, driver, or anyone else to beat Adeda and denied taking part in an assault.
“I never ordered anybody to attack or beat him,” Ashibogwu told SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters said it was unable to determine which of the competing accounts accurately described the confrontation.
At the time its report was published, calls and messages seeking comment from Delta State Police Public Relations Officer Bright Edafe had not been answered.
