Abia government pays over N20m compensation to collapsed billboard victims

The Abia State government has paid over N20 million in compensation to victims of a billboard collapse in Aba on May 28, 2025.

The incident involved the collapse of a privately owned billboard, resulting in the death of a cyclist and injuries to other tricyclists and shop owners around the Salad Market in Aba.

The payment, made to nine individuals through the Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency, ABSAA, saw the wife of the deceased cyclist receive a total of N9.6 million, other tricyclists N1.6 million each, and shop owners N500,000 each.

Speaking at the handing over of the bank cheques at Government House, Umuahia, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Alex Otti on Transportation, Obioma Nwaogbe, said the state government decided to compensate the victims, even though the collapsed structure belonged to a private company.

He explained that the government, in collaboration with ABSAA and the billboard owners, had worked out modalities to help victims return to normal business, including the widow of the deceased.

“There are about five tricycle owners, so each of them will have N1.6 million. And then the old tricycle will be retrieved and handed over to them. Then the two men whose shops were affected will be given N500,000 each. And then the wife of the deceased, Chioma Destiny, will be given N8 million to put her back somehow so that she can use it to start her life or do some investment,” Nwaogbe said.

The widow, Mrs Chioma Destiny, thanked Governor Alex Otti for giving her the sum of N9.6 million, stating that she would invest the money in business and use it to train her children.