Elochukwu Benjamin
Aba
An Abia state-based rights group, the Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) has expressed deep concern and outrage over the reported props failure at a section of the Ekeoha Shopping Complex, Aba, that is undergoing reconstruction.
The News Chronicle gathered that part of the complex had collapsed on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025, although the state government tagged it a structural failure.
The government, through the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) had also deployed heavy-duty equipment to the site to excavate the failed portions of the complex, as well as constituted an Independent Investigation Committee (IIC), comprising members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Institute of Builders, and Nigerian Institute of Architects to look into the matter.
But the CEHRAWS believes that the incident, despite its technical description, exposes the entrenched culture of negligence, compromised standards, and weak oversight that continues to undermine infrastructural integrity in the state.
According to the CEHRAWS Executive Director, Chuka Okoye, the committee’s preliminary statement that no structural collapse or fatalities were recorded must not conceal the deeper governance and professional failures that enabled the near-tragedy.
He insisted that such an event is not just an engineering error, but also a failure of duty, oversight, and accountability, all of which are constitutionally binding obligations of government.
While noting that the administration of Governor Alex Otti has earned a reputation for quality work and reform-minded governance, Okoye, however, said the unfortunate incident constitutes a moral and administrative blemish on an otherwise promising leadership.
He alleged that some close aides and political allies of the governor may be undermining his reformist vision by colluding with contractors to compromise standards for personal gain.
Such betrayal of public trust and abuse of delegated authority, he noted, not only endangers lives but also erodes the foundations of the ‘New Abia’ the governor seeks to build.
“This incident points to systemic neglect and regulatory weakness in the state’s project supervision framework. The Abia State Public Procurement Law (2012), consistent with the Public Procurement Act (2007), mandates transparency, value-for-money, and technical competence in contract execution. Any deviation, whether by connivance or dereliction, constitutes a breach of public trust and the governor’s oath to uphold accountability.
“Under Section 13 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), all authorities and persons exercising governmental power are obligated to observe and apply the principles of transparency and accountability. Further, Section 14(2)(b) provides that ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.’ When public structures fail due to negligence or greed, it is not merely a technical mishap, it is a constitutional violation,” he said.
The CEHRAWS boss insisted that the contractor handling the project, alongside supervising officials, must be held criminally and professionally accountable in accordance with Section 343 of the Criminal Code (Cap C38 LFN 2004), which penalizes acts or omissions that endanger human life through gross negligence in construction or public works.
He said, “Corruption in public works and procurement remains a chronic blight on Nigeria’s development. If inferior materials or unapproved building methods were employed at Ekeoha Market, such conduct suggests official complicity and reckless disregard for human safety.
“Governor Otti, who has consistently projected his administration as a standard-bearer for integrity and quality, must now demonstrate that his anti-corruption resolve is not mere rhetoric. CEHRAWS therefore calls on him to act decisively and deal firmly with any contractor, aide, or supervising official found complicit in this act of negligence, no matter their political closeness or personal relationship.”
The group demanded a full-scale judicial and technical inquiry into the Ekeoha Shopping Complex incident, conducted transparently and publicly, as well as the immediate suspension and prosecution of the contractor and supervising officials pending investigation outcomes.
It further called for an independent structural audit of all newly built and ongoing public infrastructure projects in Abia State to prevent future tragedies, and a comprehensive re-examination of all newly constructed shops and adjoining structures at the Ekeoha Market site to ensure structural integrity and safety certification by independent engineers before reoccupation.
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