Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Delta State Government has indefinitely suspended the Commissioner for Works (Highway and Urban Roads), Honourable Reuben Izeze, over allegations linking him to the brutal assault of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Protocol, Mr Simon Mudi, popularly known as Temple, in a case that has exposed the ugly underbelly of political violence in one of Nigeria's most volatile states. The suspension, announced on Monday, August 10, 2026, came just hours after an Effurun High Court ordered the remand of the commissioner following his arraignment by the police on charges connected to the July 26 incident at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area. The controversy has deepened fears that political tensions in Delta State are escalating dangerously ahead of the 2027 elections, with the government now forced to take disciplinary action against one of its own senior officials.
The suspension was announced in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, who said the decision was taken to enable security agencies to conduct an "unbiased investigation" into the allegations without interference. The statement read in part: "The suspension is to enable the security agencies to carry out an unbiased investigation of allegations associating him with the assault on the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol, Mr Simon Mudi, also known as Temple, at the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Effurun, recently". The government stressed that public safety and the maintenance of law and order remained priorities of the administration, adding that the state would continue to uphold the sanctity of human life and ensure that public institutions and officials were not placed above the law.
The incident that triggered the suspension occurred during a Delta Central Stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress at the PTI Conference Centre on July 26, 2026. A viral video that surfaced shortly after the event showed participants fleeing in panic as several men pursued Mr Mudi, striking him on the head with bottles and throwing chairs at him while he attempted to escape. Mr Mudi was later seen in the clip dressed in an APC-branded safari, receiving treatment in a hospital with visible bruises and a bloodied head. Although the immediate cause of the attack could not be independently established, the violence underscored growing concerns that political tensions could escalate as parties begin positioning for the 2027 elections.
The assault has drawn sharp reactions from political figures across the state. Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, who recently defected from the APC to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), described the incident as "political thuggery" and alleged, without presenting evidence, that the attackers were sponsored. Omo-Agege said: "A meeting of leaders from a registered political party was violently broken up, and a serving government official was assaulted with dangerous weapons in broad daylight. That this could happen at all says something deeply troubling about where Delta State's politics is headed". He also linked the incident to an earlier alleged attack on the NDC governorship candidate in the state, Chris Iyovwaye, claiming that hoodlums had prevented him from entering his hometown of Agholokpe. Omo-Agege called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Delta and the State Security Service to investigate the incidents, prosecute those responsible and ensure a peaceful political environment before the next general election. The Delta State Government has rejected the allegations, insisting that the incident should not be exploited for political purposes.
The controversy surrounding the assault has now taken a judicial turn. The Effurun High Court reportedly ordered the remand of Commissioner Izeze following his arraignment by the police in connection with the alleged assault. Human rights lawyer, Omes Ogedegbe, welcomed the investigation but cautioned against treating the remand order as a conviction. Ogedegbe said it would be wrong to suggest that the investigation was still being facilitated by the suspension, noting that the matter had already culminated in a formal criminal charge before the court. He stressed that no individual, regardless of position, was above the law, but added that the rights of an accused person must equally be protected. According to him, the commissioner was charged in connection with an allegation of attempted murder, stressing that "remand is not a conviction and must never be used as punishment before trial". Ogedegbe also cited Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides for the presumption of innocence of a person charged with a criminal offence until proved guilty or the person pleads guilty.
The commissioner's suspension and remand have raised questions about the intersection of politics, violence and governance in Delta State. Izeze, who represents the Ughelli South constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, was appointed Commissioner for Works (Highway and Urban Roads) by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. His suspension is an administrative action to facilitate the investigation and does not, by itself, establish guilt. The government did not state how long the investigation would last or whether the commissioner would be reinstated after the conclusion of the probe. The suspension takes immediate effect and will remain in place indefinitely, pending the outcome of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.
Ogedegbe further stressed that the suspension was an administrative decision and should not be interpreted as evidence of criminal guilt, just as the remand order did not amount to conviction. "At the end of the day, the rule of law must protect both the victim and the accused. No man is above the law. But equally, no man is beneath the law," he said. The case has drawn attention to the growing climate of political violence in Delta State, where rival factions have increasingly resorted to thuggery and intimidation to settle scores. The assault on a governor's aide at a political meeting has exposed the fragility of the state's political peace and the willingness of some actors to deploy violence in pursuit of their ambitions.
As the investigation continues and the legal proceedings unfold, the people of Delta State are left to wonder whether the suspension and remand of a sitting commissioner will be enough to deter future acts of political violence, or whether this case will become yet another example of impunity in a state where the line between politics and violence has become dangerously blurred. The government has made it clear that it will not tolerate violence, even when institutions of state are involved. But the true test of its commitment will be whether the investigation is thorough, the prosecution is fair and the rule of law is allowed to run its course without interference. For now, Commissioner Reuben Izeze remains in custody, his political future hanging in the balance, as Delta State confronts the uncomfortable reality that its political battles are being fought not just at the ballot box, but with bottles, chairs and bloodied heads.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments