As the 2025 rainy season intensifies, residents of Gassol local government council in Taraba State, as well as travelers and drivers, are crying out over worsening hardship caused by the continued collapse of the Namnai Bridge.
The bridge, a key link between Taraba and Benue States, as earlier reported by DAILY POST was washed away during the 2024 floods and has remained unrepaired nearly a year later.
The absence of the bridge, which once served as a major route for travellers, farmers, and commercial drivers connecting Taraba to the southern region of Nigeria, has transformed daily life into a struggle for survival.
Once a vital artery for movement and commerce, the Namnai Bridge’s collapse has cut off access to central trade routes, forcing commuters to rely on dangerous and poorly maintained alternative paths. These routes, riddled with potholes and vulnerable to flooding, have become nearly impassable, especially during heavy downpours.
Many commuters now spend several hours sometimes an entire day navigating these treacherous routes, often getting stuck or experiencing vehicle breakdowns.
Commercial drivers have been among the hardest hit. Musa Ibrahim, who plies the Jalingo–Makurdi route, toldDAILY POSTthat the situation is taking a toll on their finances and well-being.
“We are suffering. Sometimes we spend an entire day navigating through bush paths, and we still risk breaking down or getting stuck,”;; he said.
Drivers say their vehicles face constant wear and tear, fuel costs have risen sharply, and passengers are increasingly avoiding the route, leading to a drop in income. Some transporters have abandoned the corridor entirely.
The economic impact is also being felt in Namnai and surrounding communities, where farmers can no longer transport produce to major markets in Wukari and Makurdi. Crops now rot in the fields due to lack of access, while middlemen exploit the situation by offering meager prices for goods.
With fewer goods reaching local markets, business activity has slowed, forcing some small traders to shut down. Unemployment among the youth is rising, and frustration is growing among residents.
Despite numerous appeals from traditional leaders, civil society groups, and local stakeholders, the state government has yet to begin reconstruction of the bridge. Community members accuse authorities of turning a blind eye to their plight.
“The collapse happened almost a year ago, and nothing has been done. Are we not part of Taraba State?”;; asked Aisha Saleh, a trader in Namnai.
As the rainy season worsens conditions in the area, residents are renewing their call for urgent government intervention. They argue that rebuilding the Namnai Bridge is not just about restoring infrastructure but about reviving livelihoods, ensuring safety, and reconnecting communities.
Until action is taken, travelers and drivers plying the route, said their suffering will continue and so will their call to be seen and heard.
