BY VINCENT UJUMADU

AWKA—TWO vehicles were severely damaged and a house slightly torched when a giant billboard mounted at the Upper New Market area of the commercial city of Onitsha fell after a heavy rain storm.

An eyewitness said the noise jolted many residents of the city, adding that it would have caused more damages if the incident had occurred during the day, especially as the area usually witnesses heavy vehicular traffic.

However, officials of the Anambra Signage and Advertisement Agency, ANSAA, said yesterday that they suspected sabotage as owners of the billboard had been having a running battle with the agency over the positioning of the board.

Managing director of ANSAA, Mr. Fidel Ndubuisi told newsmen that Anambra State government was worried about the incident, adding that the agency had invited members of the Outdoor Advertisers Association of Nigeria, OAAN, for a meeting to discuss the matter so as to avoid future occurrence.

He said when the incident occured, the agency dispatched its engineers to assess the situation, explaining that they came up with disturbing revelation that bolts used in holding the metals together were removed.