Rodents, birds and reptiles have taken over the Asaba Township Stadium project, which was started in 1999 by former Governor James Ibori.
The multi million naira complex also serves as refuse dump and public toilet.
Some stakeholders in Asaba, including a former Secretary to the Government of defunct Bendel State, and the Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Onyeobi, described the state of the stadium as pathetic and insulting to the people of Asaba.
Onyeobi lamented that the eight years tenure of the past administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan portended regrets and sorrows to Asaba people, stressing that the abandoned stadium was used as conduit to loot the state’s treasury.
Residents told our correspondent that he heap of refuse on the premises of the uncompleted sports complex was polluting the air around the area.
The situation, according to the residents, may cause epidemic for them and those working in the coplex if urgent steps were not taken to evacuate the dumps.
At nightfall, dependable sources said part of the complex was allegedly used for quick sex by commercial sex workers.
However, the workers, including security officers at the stadium, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the situation might continue unabated.
Some sources said mismanagement of contract funds stalled the completion of the project. It was also gathered the land where the stadium was built was in the past used as cemetery by the people of Asaba.
Onyeobi, however described the claim as untrue, saying wickedness and maladministration on the part of the past administration were responsible for the state of the complex.
The Special Assistant on media to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Victor Efeizomo, said the abandoned stadium would soon receive government attention. He regretted that the premises were being used for all manner of illegal activities.
The completion of Asaba Township Stadium was renamed Stephen Keshi Stadium by the former Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who also urged Asaba people to pray to ensure its speedy completion.
His administration had terminated the contract for the stadium, saying that a new contractor would ensure the speedy completion of the project.
Uduaghan had promised that he would complete all on-going projects and gave assurance that there would be no abandoned projects in the state before he handed over in 2015.
Uduaghan had said, “I have told God that l am not going to leave any abandoned project in this state. We have been having challenges with the contractors in charge of this stadium. It is becoming an abandoned project, but this will not happen because it will be completed soon.”
There were also speculations that the location of the stadium near a cemetery had made it impossible for the project to be completed on time.
Many residents of Asaba believed that forces inhabiting the cemetery had slowed down the completion of the stadium.