Namnai Bridge Nightmare Persists, Commuters Demand Urgent Government Intervention By Raymond Enoch
The lingering collapse of the Namnai Bridge in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State has continued to inflict pain and hardship on thousands of commuters travelling along the strategic Wukari–Jalingo highway linking Yola, Gombe, Maiduguri and Mubi in Adamawa and Borno states.
Nearly three years after the bridge was washed away by devastating floods, road users say the situation remains a major humanitarian, security and economic burden despite repeated assurances of reconstruction by the Federal Government and the North-East Development Commission (NEDC).
Experienced firsthand of such hardship today, May 21, 2026, is the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of Paradigm News Nigeria whose vehicle followed the bank of River Namnai, confronted the harsh reality faced by travellers, motorists and traders struggled under difficult and unsafe crossing conditions while attempting to continue their journeys across the damaged route.
The collapsed bridge remains a critical concern because it serves as one of the busiest transport corridors connecting the North-East to other parts of Nigeria. Since the disaster, commuters have endured long delays, dangerous river crossings and rising transport costs, while economic activities within affected communities continue to suffer.
Several reports by the media indicate that travellers are often forced to disembark from vehicles and rely on local ferry operators or makeshift boats to cross the river before continuing their journeys on the other side.
The hardship has also affected farmers and traders who depend on the route for transporting agricultural produce and goods across the region. Residents say prices of food items and transportation have increased significantly following the collapse of the bridge.
Although the Federal Government recently announced the award of contracts for the reconstruction of the Namnai Bridge and other critical bridges in Taraba State, many commuters insist that the pace of work remains too slow compared to the suffering being experienced daily by road users.
According to government officials, the reconstruction project includes a nine-span 180-metre bridge with a two-kilometre approach road funded through the NEDC.
However, concerns persist among residents and civil society groups over delays, accountability and the urgency required to complete the project, especially as another rainy season approaches.
Tragically, the continued absence of a functional bridge has reportedly led to fatal incidents, including boat mishaps involving stranded commuters attempting to cross the river.
Concerned commuters, transporters and residents are now appealing to President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Works, the NEDC and the Taraba State Government to treat the Namnai Bridge reconstruction as a national emergency.
They stressed that beyond being a local infrastructure challenge, the Namnai Bridge is a vital economic lifeline whose prolonged collapse continues to endanger lives, cripple businesses and isolate communities across the North-East corridor.
