Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
One year after the catastrophic collapse of the Namnai Bridge along the critical Jalingo-Wukari highway in Taraba State, the Federal Government is facing escalating condemnation for its apparent indifference toward reconstructing this vital infrastructure.
The bridge, which serves as a crucial link connecting Benue, Taraba, and Adamawa states on the federal Trunk A road network, remains in complete ruin, exposing commuters to life-threatening risks.
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from Professor John Ajai, a prominent university lecturer, who shared his traumatic experience while attempting to cross the damaged route last week. In an emotionally charged statement issued on Wednesday and made available to The Journal Nigeria, the academic recounted how his ferry became stranded mid-crossing when the boat’s propeller got stuck in river sediment.
“We faced a terrifying thirty-minute ordeal with passengers forced to evacuate under dangerous conditions while vehicles remained trapped,” Ajai revealed. “Only divine intervention averted what could have been a mass casualty incident that day.”
The professor’s account highlights the daily dangers confronting thousands of students, traders, and travelers who must navigate the compromised route. Beyond being a transportation inconvenience, the bridge’s absence has severely disrupted regional commerce, education, and healthcare access, with agricultural produce now taking significantly longer and more expensive routes to markets.
Ajai launched a scathing criticism of federal authorities, accusing both the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) of “gross dereliction of national duty.”
He noted the conspicuous absence of construction crews, the lack of official timelines for repairs, and the failure to even erect temporary safety measures at the site. The academic particularly shamed Taraba’s federal legislators for their muted response, stressing that while they may not directly oversee infrastructure projects, their advocacy could compel executive action.
The collapsed bridge’s strategic importance cannot be overstated, it forms part of the primary artery linking Nigeria’s North Central, Northeast, and Northwest regions, facilitating the movement of goods, services, and people across three geopolitical zones. Its prolonged abandonment raises troubling questions about equitable infrastructure development, especially for regions distant from the federal capital.
Transportation experts warn that the continued reliance on unsafe ferry services creates multiple risk factors, including potential boat capsizing, increased armed robbery targeting stranded travelers, and the economic toll of extended detours. Local businesses report losing millions in perishable goods, while students from surrounding communities face growing attendance challenges.
As pressure mounts on federal authorities, stakeholders are demanding immediate action, including, emergency temporary bridging solutions, Official communication from FERMA regarding repair timelines, Special budgetary allocation for the reconstruction and legislative oversight hearings on the delayed response.