A High Court sitting in Effurun, Delta State, has ordered the remand of the state Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Reuben Izeze, for 14 days over his alleged connection to the attack on a Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Simon Mudi, popularly known as Temple.
Minutes after the remand order, the Delta State Government announced Izeze’s indefinite suspension from office with immediate effect to allow security agencies to conduct what it described as an unbiased investigation into the allegations.
The suspension was announced on Monday, August 10, 2026, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu.
According to the government, the decision followed allegations associating the commissioner with the assault on Mudi at the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
“The suspension is to enable the Security Agencies 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 statement said.
The state government stressed that the action was necessary to ensure that security agencies could investigate the incident without interference.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to public safety, law and order and the protection of human life, insisting that the same standards must apply even where officials or institutions of government are involved.
“The state government remains committed to the maintenance of public safety in all circumstances to guarantee law and order and the sanctity of lives. This position is upheld even when institutions of state are involved,” the statement added.
The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the PTI in Effurun, where Mudi was allegedly attacked and severely beaten by suspected thugs.
Reports had alleged that some of those involved in the attack were linked to the commissioner, although the circumstances surrounding the incident and Izeze’s alleged role remain under investigation.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that Mudi sustained injuries during the attack and was subsequently taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical treatment.
A day after the incident, reports emerged that Izeze had been arrested and taken to the Ekpan Police Station for questioning over his alleged connection to the attack.
At the time of those initial reports, police authorities had not issued a detailed public account of the circumstances surrounding his reported detention or established his involvement in the alleged assault.
Shortly after the court’s decision, Governor Oborevwori’s administration announced his suspension, effectively removing him from office pending further investigation by the relevant security agencies.
Shortly after the court’s decision, Governor Oborevwori’s administration announced his suspension, effectively removing him from office pending further investigation by the relevant security agencies.
The government said the measure was intended to provide investigators with an unrestricted opportunity to establish what transpired during the incident, identify those involved and determine whether the commissioner had any connection to the alleged attack.
Izeze’s suspension and remand do not amount to a finding of guilt, and the allegations against him remain unproven pending the conclusion of the investigation and any subsequent judicial proceedings.