Heavy flooding in recent months has wreaked havoc on critical infrastructure in several northern Nigerian states, collapsing bridges and roads that are vital for transportation and trade. Communities in Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger are facing severe disruptions, with residents forced into risky river crossings, soaring transport costs, and economic standstill. Our correspondents report on the toll of neglected infrastructure amid relentless rains.
Plateau’s Kufai Bridge: Repeated Failures Amid Delays
In Shendam Local Government Area, the Kufai bridge near Yelwa community built over 30 years ago has collapsed twice in recent years, most recently in August after partial repairs failed during heavy rains. This key link for travel to Nasarawa and Taraba states, and for food trucks to the North-East and North-West, now leaves motorists paying laborers to push vehicles across the swollen river. Residents like Wayu Bamga and Nanlong Nyas describe daily struggles, while drivers such as Umar Sa’adu and Abubakar Haruna lament extended travel times and safety risks. Commuters urge immediate reconstruction to restore safe passage.
Taraba’s Namnai Bridge: Year-Long Ordeal Without Relief
One year after its August 2024 collapse, the Namnai bridge on the Jalingo-Wukari federal highway remains unrepaired, despite pledges from the federal government, Governor Agbu Kefas, and the North-East Development Commission. Connecting the North-East to the South-East, South-West, FCT, Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa, its failure has diverted heavy traffic to Garba-Chede, inflating transport fees and essential goods prices. Small vehicles cross via risky ferries charging N3,000–N6,000, with tragic incidents including a capsized boat drowning a pregnant woman and child, and over 50 vehicles sinking. Driver Adamu Hamman and trader Felix James highlight exploitation and isolation, while Senator Haruna Manu and Rep. Ja’faru Yakubu Chiroma press for urgent federal action. Three other bridges Pampatel, Pamanga, and Mayo Kam—teeter on the brink due to erosion.
Bauchi’s Zango-Gwallaga Bridge: Paralysis of Local Economy
The recent collapse of the Zango-Gwallaga Mayaki bridge outside Bauchi metropolis has halted commercial activities, stranding residents and worsening gully erosion that threatens homes and farms. No lives were lost, but small businesses suffer as tricycles and motorcycles avoid the area, forcing relocations. Residents Muhammad Idris and Abubakar Sadiq decry the standstill, with children missing school and farmers unable to reach markets. Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. Titus Soul Ketkuka, confirmed engineers are assessing damage, while a new road is under construction. Calls intensify for anti-erosion measures to avert further losses.
Zamfara’s Gwalli Bridge Tragedy: 19 Dead in Overloaded Bus Crash
In Gummi Local Government Area, a makeshift wooden bridge in Gwalli collapsed under an overloaded bus carrying 40 wedding guests from Kebbi and Zamfara, plunging into a river and killing 19 on Saturday. The “death trap,” built by locals after the original’s failure, gave way during the rainy season. Survivors like Rabi and Habiba Musa recounted the horror, crediting quick decisions to disembark for their escape. Eyewitness Liman Bello Muhammad Gwalli noted 18 bodies recovered immediately, with one more the next day. Lawmaker Adamu Gumi decried budgeted but unexecuted repairs, blaming neglect for the preventable disaster. Nearby Sabon Birni and Shinkafi residents now hire armed escorts amid floods and insecurity.
Sokoto’s Response: Boats and Warnings After Flood Havoc
Deputy Governor Idris Gobir announced plans for a new access road following flood damage, while Governor Ahmed Aliyu distributed 20 motorized boats and 2,000 lifejackets to riverine communities in Wamakko. The initiative addresses boat mishaps that have claimed lives, with the governor warning against overloading. Special Adviser Aminu Liman Bodinga highlighted N3 billion in federal relief via NEMA, praising the state’s proactive support.
Kebbi’s Fana and Liba Bridges: International Routes Severed
Floods washed away the Fana bridge in Dandi, trapping three trucks from Niger Republic and closing the Kamba-Kyangakwai-Fana-Dakingari international road. The Liba bridge collapse on the Birnin Kebbi-Jega-Koko-Lagos highway forces lengthy detours via Dakingari. Commissioner for Works Abdullahi Umar Faruq Muslim warned of Kebbi’s potential isolation from the food supply chain, calling the flooding “massive and merciless.” Governor Nasir Idris formed a damage assessment committee for Birnin Kebbi, Bunza, Dandi, and Suru, allocating 14 hectares of free land and relief to 182 displaced households in Kamfani. Trader Sanusi Fana and farmer Aliyu Sambawa bemoan business halts, while local leaders Bala Isah Buma and Muhammad Sani Abubakar thank the N50 million aid but seek more support.
Niger’s Babban Rami Bridge: Adding to Chronic Road Woes
On September 3, 2025, heavy rains destroyed the Babban Rami bridge in Mashegu, severing Kontagora-Makera links and a major North-South route used by Zamfara and Sokoto travelers. Truck Drivers Association Secretary Bello Yahaya blamed poor roads for frequent accidents, citing ongoing but sluggish projects like Lambata-Lapai-Agaie-Bida since the Buhari era. Other dilapidated stretches include Suleja-Minna, Birnin Gwari-Bokani-Jebba, and Minna-Zungeru-Regina-Kontagora. Residents demand federal completion to ease suffering.
Across these states, the floods expose years of infrastructure neglect, amplifying hardships for farmers, traders, and commuters. Lawmakers and officials call for swift federal intervention, including funding and high-level lobbying, to rebuild and prevent future catastrophes.
