A resident of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, identified as Mr Destiny Uguru, met his untimely on Wednesday when a heavy advertising billboard fell on a tricycle where he was taking shelter from a rainfall.

The incident, which happened around the popular Aba Salad Market junction on the Aba-Owerri Road, also injured eight other people who are currently hospitalised, PUNCH Metro gathered.

Our correspondent learnt that the deceased, who was an indigene of Izzi, Ebonyi State, left behind a heavily pregnant widow.

One of his relatives, Mr Chinedu Nwaibo, who witnessed the tragic incident, said the tragedy occurred during a downpour that came with a heavy wind.

He said, “When the rain came with wind on Wednesday, I and my kinsmen (community men) had to take refuge in his small shanty shop, not knowing that a tragedy was closer to them.

“I went into my small shanty with my brothers when the rain started. We were seven inside the shop when the heavy wind and rain got stronger.

“They complained that my shanty wasn’t a comfortable place for them to take refuge, that they preferred staying inside their tricycles near the fallen billboard.

“I refused to go into the tricycles with them. It wasn’t up to a long time, the billboard fell and injured seven people and killed one person.”

He said the deceased’s corpse had been deposited in a mortuary.

Nwaibo further pleaded with the Abia State Government to come to the help of his kinsmen, who were only out in the streets, struggling to make ends meet.

“I beg the government to please come and help us. Let them help my brothers, who are victims of this tragedy. They were only out here to make ends meet.

“They never knew that such a tragedy awaited them. The dead guy, Destiny Uguru, had two children and his wife is heavily pregnant. He was a young man of just 27 years old.”

The MD/CEO Abia State Structures for Signage and Advertising Agency, Mrs Victoria Onwubiko, said the incident brought a sad experience to the state.

After moving around the ward where the victims were admitted at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Onwubiko said the Abia State Government would take care of every bill of the victims.

She stressed she had seen the survivors, and that they were recuperating as the doctors were doing everything possible to keep them stable.

“The governor has given an order for everything to be done without looking back. There will not be any other death because, from what we’re seeing, they’re all recovering well.

“They’re about eight. Five are currently at the ABSUTH, while about three have been discharged.”

Mrs Onwubiko said the government had contacted the family of the deceased and is currently talking to them.

Speaking on the quality of the billboard, she said, “The board was erected about five years ago, and apparently, it was not well-done. That’s why it fell.

“Going forward, strict methods are applied for all boards of such heights. No matter how low it is, it can still hurt people.

“Everything is being done to ensure that things are done properly. So, we will make sure that we’ll do more than we’re doing now. 

“Apparently, nobody technically sound in construction of such was there when they erected that billboard or else, it wouldn’t have happened.

“What we’re currently doing is that any site that must come up, all our technical people must be there to evaluate things before it’ll be allowed to stand. So, the government is doing all it can to ensure the right thing is done.”

On further measures to stop a recurrence of such incident, Onwubiko said, “Structural inspection of every site will start henceforth. All those who have such billboards must submit the technical drawing used for the construction.

“If we don’t see such, then that site must come down. Besides that, we do an inspection of all the sites in the state to make sure that they’re sound no matter the height. Anyone that’s not sound will come down.”