Travellers Lament As Taraba Bridge Collapses

Wednesday was a difficult day for commuters along the Jalingo-Wukari federal highway following the collapse of a makeshift bridge in Namnai Village.

The original bridge had been washed away by heavy flooding in 2024, cutting off Taraba North from the Southern Zone.

Almost a year later, no contractor has been seen on-site, despite repeated assurances from the state government to commuters and residents.

The makeshift bridge, which had been a lifeline for travellers, especially cars and buses, has now also collapsed.

It was gathered that early morning flooding, caused by light rainfall, was the primary reason for the collapse.

Commuters now fear that the fast-approaching rainy season will worsen their predicament, as no efforts were made to fix the bridge during the dry season.

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The youth leader of the village, Iliyasu Namnai, who spoke to newsmen, said most vehicles had to turn back, while passengers were ferried across the broken section by youths of the community.

He, however, called on Governor Agbu Kefas to fulfil the promise he made when he visited the collapsed bridge a few weeks ago.

During his visit, Gov. Kefas stated that a contractor had been contacted to redesign the bridge and was expected to commence work in March.

As of the time of filing this report, no construction company had been seen on-site.