Delta Government Assures Adeda’s Family Of Justice Over Civil Servant’s Death
By GEORGETTE CHIDI
DELTA State Government has assured the family of late Mr. Unity Adeda, a Level 16 civil servant in the Ministry of Secondary Education, that justice will prevail over his death.
Adeda reportedly died following an altercation at his workplace.
The government has consequently begun steps to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, even as a police investigation continues.
Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, gave the assurance on Saturday when he led a delegation of senior government officials to the deceased’s family to express the administration’s condolences.
The delegation included the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Johnson Erijo; Permanent Secretary in the SSG’s Office, Mr. Lucky Nkemachor; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development, Mrs. Kevwe Agas; and Executive Secretary, State Pensions Bureau, Mr. Lawson Efenudu.
Government mourns senior civil servant
Emu said the state government was deeply concerned about the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.
He said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration considered every life important, regardless of the person’s position in the public service.
According to him, the government was mourning with the deceased’s family, the civil service and the wider state.
“He was a very senior officer, but whether he was a senior or junior officer, every life means a lot to the state and the government,” Emu said.
He described Adeda as a senior public servant who had contributed to the development of the state through his years of service.
Police investigation still ongoing
The SSG, however, cautioned against reaching conclusions before investigators complete their work.
He said the government was yet to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death because the police investigation remained ongoing.
Preliminary accounts, he explained, indicated that an internal workplace altercation had escalated and eventually resulted in the fatal incident.
Emu said Governor Oborevwori had directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated.
Some individuals connected with the incident, he added, had already made statements to the police.
The government’s position, therefore, is that the facts must emerge through the ongoing investigative process.
Administrative panel to examine workplace issues
Alongside the police investigation, the state government has constituted an administrative panel comprising serving and retired civil servants.
Emu explained that the panel would examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and consider ways to strengthen conflict-resolution mechanisms within the public service.
He stressed that the administrative inquiry was not intended to interfere with the police investigation or any eventual judicial process.
“The essence of the administrative panel is not to conflict with the judicial process or the police investigation. It is to help us rebuild our system and enrich our conflict-management process,” he said.
The distinction is important because the panel’s role, as described by the SSG, is administrative and institutional, while the police investigation is concerned with establishing facts relevant to the incident and any potential criminal proceedings.
Government engages labour leaders
The development has also prompted engagement between the government and organised labour.
Emu disclosed that the government met with labour leaders on Thursday following the incident.
According to him, labour representatives sought reassurance that the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death would be investigated and that justice would be pursued.
He said both sides agreed that the administrative panel should be established while the police carried out its investigation.
“We met with Labour yesterday and what Labour wanted was reassurance that there would be justice,” he said.
Emu added that the government believed the steps already taken demonstrated its commitment to transparency in handling the matter.
Workplace conflict & institutional response
The SSG also used the occasion to draw attention to the need for effective management of workplace disagreements.
He acknowledged that conflicts could occur within institutions but stressed that such disputes should be addressed through established mechanisms before they escalate.
That issue has become a central part of the government’s administrative response to the incident.
Beyond determining what happened to Adeda, the panel is expected to examine how workplace conflicts are handled and whether existing mechanisms are adequate to prevent disputes from becoming more serious.
The approach places the incident within a broader institutional question about workplace safety, dispute resolution and the responsibility of public institutions to protect their employees.
Appeal for calm
Meanwhile, Emu appealed to civil servants to remain calm and continue carrying out their responsibilities.
He assured workers that the government remained committed to protecting lives and maintaining a peaceful working environment across the public service.
The appeal comes as workers await the outcome of both the police investigation and the administrative inquiry.
For the government, the two processes are expected to serve different but complementary purposes: establishing the facts surrounding the death and examining possible institutional lessons from the incident.
Family seeks full investigation
Receiving the government delegation, Mr. Godwin Akamakusi, an in-law to the deceased, thanked Governor Oborevwori and the state government for visiting the family.
He nevertheless appealed for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.
Akamakusi urged the government to ensure that the facts were fully established and that justice was served.
The family’s position mirrors the central issue now facing the authorities: determining precisely what happened before, during and after the reported workplace altercation.
Justice & institutional accountability
For now, the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death remain under investigation.
The police are handling the investigative process, while the administrative panel is examining the institutional dimension of the incident.
The government has also assured the family that the case will not be allowed to disappear without accountability.
Emu told the family that the government was present to express its concern and solidarity and gave an unequivocal assurance that there would be no perversion of justice.
As the investigations continue, however, the outcome will depend on the evidence gathered and the findings of the relevant authorities.
