Collapsed Billboard: Ex-Osun Amotekun DG Blames Adeleke Govt, Alleges Use of Substandard Materials

 

Former Director-General of the Osun State Amotekun Corps, Mr. Amitolu Shittu, has faulted the state government over the collapse of an advertising billboard near the Government House area in Oke-Fia, Osogbo, following a heavy downpour on Friday.

Shittu alleged that the incident was caused by the use of substandard materials in the construction of billboards across the state, warning that such practices pose serious risks to public safety.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, the ex-Amotekun boss accused the current administration of compromising standards, saying revenue generation should not come at the expense of human lives.

According to him, the two-hour rainfall that hit Osogbo exposed structural weaknesses in several billboard installations, with reports of similar incidents recorded in other parts of the state.

He described an incident around the Technical College axis on Ilobu Road, opposite the Police Area Command in Osogbo, as particularly alarming, noting that motorists and pedestrians narrowly escaped injury.

His words: “Quality must be prioritised. Substandard practice must not become the style of governance. People’s lives must not be traded for forced revenue generation. The agency responsible for billboard regulation in Osun should take urgent note of the wreckage caused by the heavy downpour due to weak construction materials.”

Shittu called on the Osun State Signage Agency (O-Signage) to review its approval processes and ensure that only structures built with certified materials are cleared for installation.

He said he personally drove around Osogbo shortly after the storm and observed the extent of damage caused by fallen and weakened billboard structures.

“The recurring collapse of billboards in Osogbo and other towns points to deeper regulatory and structural failures that require urgent attention,” he added.

Shittu urged the state government to strengthen oversight of signage and outdoor advertising operations to prevent avoidable disasters, stressing that public safety must take precedence over political and commercial interests.