Delta Killing: Rights Group Faults Oborevwori’s Administrative Panel, Demands Police Probe

By Monday Peters, Abuja

A rights group, CONFAB for the Actualization of Human Rights, has condemned the decision of the Delta State Government to constitute an administrative panel over the death of Mr. Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a senior civil servant in the state.

In a petition addressed to the Executive Governor of Delta State, Government House, Asaba, the group said an administrative inquiry cannot substitute for a criminal investigation where allegations disclose possible unlawful killing or assault.

The Director General of the group, Omemiroro Ogedeh Esq., stated: “While an administrative inquiry may have its place in determining administrative responsibility, it cannot substitute for a criminal investigation where the available allegations disclose possible unlawful killing, assault or other serious criminal offences.”

According to reports, Mr. Adeda became unconscious following an alleged assault at the Ministry and subsequently died at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba. Civil servants have protested and called for investigation, while the Commissioner, Dr. Kingsley Ashibogwu, has denied ordering or participating in any assault.

The group noted that the conflicting accounts make an independent criminal investigation indispensable, stressing: “The reported circumstances surrounding Mr. Adeda’s death requires the immediate intervention of the Nigeria Police Force, not an inquiry confined to the administrative machinery of the same government within which the alleged incident occurred.”

CONFAB therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately take over investigation into the events leading to the confrontation, the alleged assault, and the identity and roles of everyone present, including the alleged involvement of the Commissioner, his driver, police orderly and any other persons.

It demanded that “All relevant CCTV footage, videos, medical records, security registers, telephone evidence and other material evidence must be immediately preserved.”

On the arrest of the Commissioner’s aides, the group warned against selective justice, saying: “We are equally concerned that the response should not be reduced to the arrest of subordinate aides while the circumstances surrounding the alleged directive or instruction under which they may have acted remain unexamined.”

It added: “If, as alleged, any subordinate acted pursuant to an instruction from a superior officer, the source, nature and legality of that instruction must equally be investigated. The law must not be selectively applied.”

The group urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to reconsider using an administrative panel as the principal mechanism, insisting: “The fundamental question is simple: How did Mr. Unity Adeda sustain the injuries that allegedly rendered him unconscious, and what caused his death? That question requires forensic, medical and criminal investigation not a panel of enquiry.”

Listing its demands, CONFAB called for immediate police-led criminal investigation, independent post-mortem/autopsy, investigation of every person implicated irrespective of rank, protection of witnesses, intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), oversight by the Police Service Commission, and prosecution of anyone found culpable.

The petition concluded: “We are not asking the government to convict anybody without trial. We are asking that nobody be protected from investigation because of his position, and that no subordinate made a convenient scapegoat. LET THE POLICE INVESTIGATE. LET THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE SPEAK. LET EVERY PERSON IMPLICATED BE INVESTIGATED. LET NO ONE BE ABOVE THE LAW.”