Taraba Collapsed Namnai Bridge: Gimbiyar Lau Urges FG to Declare Reconstruction a National Emergency

The Gimbiyar Lau, Hajiya Mamma Fati Ibrahim Hassan Lau, has passionately called upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to declare the urgent reconstruction of the collapsed Namnai Bridge in Taraba State as a national emergency, following a heartbreaking accident that claimed the lives of her family members.

While speaking to journalists in Taraba State on Sunday, the traditional leader expressed grief over the tragic boat mishap that occurred at the Namnai Bridge site in Gassol Local Government Area on Saturday. According to her, the fatal incident—which involved eight of her family members—could have been avoided if the long-abandoned bridge had been properly reconstructed and maintained.

Out of the eight individuals involved in the incident, five were rescued, one body was recovered, and two are still unaccounted for as rescue operations entered their third day, according to reports gathered by LMSINT MEDIA.

Describing the tragedy as a “completely avoidable disaster,” Hajiya Mamma Fati strongly condemned years of governmental failure and negligence, which she believes have forced communities in the region to depend on hazardous water transportation, especially during the dangerous rainy season when rivers rise sharply and become increasingly unsafe.

She specifically called on Governor Agbu Kefas to act decisively and mount strategic pressure on the Federal Government to immediately commence reconstruction of the Namnai Bridge. She emphasized that the bridge is not only vital to the residents of Lau and Gassol LGAs but also critical to Nigeria’s national transportation and trade network.

According to her, the Jalingo–Wukari route, which hosts the Namnai Bridge, is a major transportation corridor that connects Northern and Southern Nigeria. This key route facilitates the movement of agricultural produce, livestock, and commercial goods, thereby serving as an economic lifeline that boosts interregional commerce and integration across the country.

While extending her heartfelt condolences to grieving families—including the Alkali Hassan Lau and Badikko households, as well as the people of Lau, Gassol, and Jalingo LGAs—the Gimbiyar Lau stressed the need for decisive and responsible governance. She urged the federal authorities to take immediate and meaningful action to “put the right peg in the right hole,” thereby preventing any further loss of lives resulting from avoidable infrastructure failures.