Boat Mishap at collapsed Taraba bridge: Three feared missing as locals slam Government inaction

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Boat Mishap at Collapsed Taraba Bridge: Three Feared Missing as Locals Slam Government Inaction


Tension has gripped parts of Taraba State and neighboring regions after a boat overturned near the dilapidated Namnai Bridge in Gassol Local Government Area, leaving three people unaccounted for. The incident occurred Friday evening following a heavy rainstorm that lasted more than three hours.

Though residents confirmed the accident, the total number of passengers on board remains uncertain. Search and rescue efforts are underway, led by local volunteers and emergency responders.

The Namnai Bridge, once a vital transport link between Taraba and the North Central, North East, and North West regions, collapsed over a year ago and has remained unrepaired. In the absence of government intervention, locals have resorted to using improvised boats to cross the river, raising serious safety concerns.

Friday’s tragedy has sparked renewed anger among residents, many of whom view the situation as an avoidable disaster. The bridge’s neglect has reportedly hampered economic activities, disrupted transport, and now claimed lives.

Professor John Ajai, a university lecturer who recently had a close call at the same location, described the bridge as a “daily danger.” He recounted how a boat he was on became stranded midstream when its propeller jammed in the sand, forcing passengers to evacuate in unsafe conditions.

“It was by God’s mercy we avoided a disaster that day,” Ajai said.

He criticized the Federal Government for failing to act, particularly calling out the silence of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and FERMA, neither of which has initiated repairs or deployed contractors.

Ajai also took aim at Taraba’s federal legislators, accusing them of staying silent instead of pressing for urgent intervention.

“They may not execute the projects directly, but their advocacy is crucial. Their silence is deafening,” he said.

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