Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highway and Urban Roads), Reuben Izeze, was indefinitely suspended by the state government on Monday over allegations linking him to the recent assault on the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol, Mr. Simon Mudi (also known as Temple).
Suspension announcement
The suspension, effective immediately, was announced in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Eze Emu. According to the statement, the suspension is to enable security agencies conduct an unbiased investigation into allegations associating him with the assault on Temple at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Centre, Effurun. The government maintained its commitment to public safety, law and order, and the sanctity of lives, “even when institutions of state are involved”.
Court remand
The development came as an Effurun High Court reportedly ordered the remand of Izeze in prison custody pending the next hearing of the case, following his arraignment by the police in connection with the alleged assault. Some reports indicate the remand is for 14 days. The court action has added a judicial dimension, with the commissioner now facing both administrative suspension and an ongoing criminal proceeding.
Legal perspective
Reacting to the development, human rights lawyer Omes Ogedegbe welcomed the investigation but cautioned against treating the remand as a conviction. He stressed that “remand is not a conviction and must never be used as punishment before trial,” citing Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution which presumes innocence until proven guilty. He urged the prosecution to justify any continued deprivation of liberty strictly according to law, stating: “No individual, irrespective of position, is above the law. However, the law must equally protect every individual accused of an offence”.
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