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BREAKING: Delta NLC Declares Indefinite Strike Over Death of Deputy Director Unity Adeda
The Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite strike following the death of Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a Deputy Director in the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
The declaration was made on Friday by the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, while addressing protesting civil servants at the Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat in Asaba.
The secretariat complex was shut down earlier in the day as workers gathered to protest the incident.
The labour action comes hours after the Delta State Police Command announced the arrest of one suspect and declared two others wanted in connection with the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.
identified the arrested suspect as Lucky Adoh, while Enos Attah and Oputa Okestine were declared wanted.
According to the police statement signed by SP Bright Edafe, the incident followed a disagreement involving Adeda and some ministry staff, which was taken to the office of the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibogwu.
The police said a confrontation allegedly ensued, with Adeda reportedly assaulted by persons attached to the commissioner before he was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged.
However, the Command stressed that the cause of death has not yet been established and that it has not confirmed whether the alleged assault directly caused his death.
The homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) is investigating the matter, including reviewing video footage, interviewing eyewitnesses and examining medical records.
The state government activities are expected to be crippled pending the outcome of investigations, with workers demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
The state government had on Thursday constituted an 8-man Administrative Panel of Inquiry headed by Mrs Charity Ehimen, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, with representatives of NLC, TUC and JNC as members, to probe the incident within two weeks.