The family of late Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a Level 16 civil servant with the Delta State Ministry of Secondary Education, has rejected a condolence visit by the state government, demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Adeda died following an altercation at his workplace in Asaba, Delta State. The incident has generated outrage among his family, colleagues and organised labour, with questions surrounding what happened before his death.
The Secretary to the Delta State Government, Kingsley Emu, led a delegation of senior government officials to the family on Saturday to express the government’s condolences.
The delegation included the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Johnson Erijo; Permanent Secretary in the SSG’s Office, Lucky Nkemachor; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development, Kevwe Agas; and Executive Secretary of the State Pensions Bureau, Lawson Efenudu, among others.
Emu said the government was concerned about the death and stressed that every life mattered. He said the full circumstances of the incident had yet to be established because the police investigation was still ongoing.
According to the government, preliminary information indicated that an internal disagreement at the workplace escalated into a physical confrontation.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure a thorough investigation, while some persons connected to the incident had reportedly made statements to the police.
The government has also announced an administrative panel made up of serving and retired civil servants to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and recommend measures to prevent similar conflicts within the civil service.
But the deceased’s family said it was not satisfied with the government’s assurances.
A family representative, Godwin Akamakusi, called for a full investigation and justice for Adeda, alleging that those responsible for his death had not been brought to account.
The family also expressed reservations about the administrative panel, arguing that its membership was made up largely of civil servants.
It called for broader participation in the investigation, including representatives of the family, civil society organisations and human rights groups, to ensure greater confidence in the process.
The family’s allegations have not been established by a court, while the police investigation into the circumstances of Adeda’s death remains ongoing.
The case has continued to draw attention within Delta State, with calls for the authorities to establish exactly what happened during the workplace confrontation and ensure that any person found responsible faces the appropriate legal process.
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