PRESS RELEASE
October 23, 2025
EKEOHA SHOPPING COMPLEX COLLAPSE: A TRAGIC TESTAMENT TO OFFICIAL NEGLIGENCE AND THE EROSION OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN ABIA STATE
The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) expresses deep concern and outrage over the reported “props failure” at a section of the ongoing reconstruction of the Ekeoha Shopping Complex, Aba, on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025.
An incident that, regardless of its technical description, exposes the entrenched culture of negligence, compromised standards, and weak oversight that continues to undermine infrastructural integrity in this region.
While the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA) has constituted an Independent Investigation Committee (IIC), allegedly comprising members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Institute of Builders, and Nigerian Institute of Architects, and temporarily sealed the site to avert further danger, the occurrence itself remains a serious red flag.
The committee’s preliminary statement that “no structural collapse or fatalities were recorded” must not obscure the deeper governance and professional failures that enabled this near-tragedy.
In civil rights terms, such an event transcends engineering error; it represents a failure of duty, oversight, and accountability, all of which are constitutionally binding obligations of government.
The administration of Governor Dr. Alex Otti has rightfully earned a reputation for quality work, and reform-minded governance. However, this unfortunate incident constitutes a moral and administrative blemish on an otherwise promising leadership.
CEHRAWS believes, with concern, 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 not only endanger lives but also erode the very foundations of the “New Abia” the governor seeks to build.
This incident cannot be dismissed as an isolated error. It 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.
The contractor handling the project, alongside supervising officials, must therefore 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.
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.
Failure to act firmly would embolden impunity and threaten the moral credibility of the Otti administration.
CEHRAWS hereby demands the following urgent actions in the public interest:
1. A full-scale judicial and technical inquiry into the Ekeoha Shopping Complex incident, conducted transparently and publicly.
2. Immediate suspension and prosecution of the contractor and supervising officials pending investigation outcomes.
3. An independent structural audit of all newly built and ongoing public infrastructure projects in Abia State to prevent future tragedies.
4. 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.
5. Adequate compensation and support for affected traders, vendors, and others whose livelihoods may have been disrupted by this incident.
Furthermore, CEHRAWS urges the Abia State Government to ensure that the ongoing school retrofitting and rehabilitation projects across the state strictly adhere to engineering and safety standards. We remain hopeful that these educational projects are not compromised in quality, and that Governor Otti’s well-professed commitment to excellence and integrity is fully upheld in their execution.
This tragedy offends the spirit of Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which enjoins the State to “abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.” It also violates the public’s right to safety and protection from harm, which forms an integral part of the right to life under Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
No society can achieve progress when human lives and livelihoods are routinely endangered by greed, carelessness, and impunity in governance.
Conclusion
The Ekeoha Shopping Complex collapse, whether described as a props failure or a partial structural incident is a symptom of deeper administrative failure and moral decline in public accountability. It must not be swept under the bureaucratic carpet.
CEHRAWS calls on Governor Alex Otti to rise above political sentiments, reaffirm his supposed reputation for integrity, and hold every culpable individual or entity to account. This moment offers an opportunity for him to demonstrate that Abia’s new era of governance is anchored not just on innovation, but on justice, transparency, and the sanctity of human life.
The people of Abia State deserve infrastructure that stands the test of time, not projects weakened by greed and negligence.
Let this serve as a moral awakening: accountability is not optional; it is the foundation of every government that claims to serve its people.
Signed:
Okoye, Chuka Peter
Executive Director, CEHRAWS
Aba, Abia State, Nigeria
Email: cehraws@gmail.com | Tel: +234 (0)80-803-51242 (WhatsApp).
Motto “…homini serviemus ”
