Hundreds of commuters, traders, farmers and students were stranded on Friday after a major bridge linking Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, to Yorro Local Government Area collapsed following a heavy downpour.
The affected structure, popularly known as the Gadan-Mallam-Audu Bridge, gave way after torrential rainfall in the early hours of Friday, cutting off movement between Jalingo and several communities in Yorro Local Government Area.
The bridge serves as a vital transportation corridor for residents and is widely used for the movement of agricultural produce from the mountainous communities of Yorro to markets in Jalingo.
A visit to the scene showed scores of stranded commuters gathered on both sides of the collapsed bridge, with commercial motorcycle operators, farmers, traders and students unable to continue their journeys due to the absence of an alternative route.
The structure is the only crossing point over River Mayo-Gwayi along the axis, making travel particularly difficult for residents, workers and civil servants who commute daily between Jalingo and Yorro.
Several civil servants travelling from Jalingo to Yorro for work were also affected by the disruption, further highlighting the bridge’s importance to daily socio-economic activities in the area.
Some residents said the bridge had shown signs of structural weakness for months before it eventually gave way.
A resident, Mr. Yohana Bulus, a civil servant in Yorro Local Government Area, said the bridge was originally constructed through the intervention of a former member of the House of Representatives for Jalingo, Yorro and Zing Federal Constituency, Hon. Kasimu Bello Maigari.
According to him, concerns had been raised about the condition of the structure before its eventual collapse.
The incident has renewed concerns over the state of critical infrastructure in Taraba State, particularly during the rainy season when flooding often damages roads and bridges.
The development comes amid ongoing challenges posed by the collapsed River Namnai Bridge on the Jalingo–Wukari Highway in Gassol Local Government Area, which was washed away by floods more than three years ago and remains unrepaired, disrupting transportation along the route.
Residents and community leaders have called on both the Taraba State and Federal Governments to urgently provide temporary access solutions and commence reconstruction work to restore movement and economic activities along the Jalingo–Yorro corridor.
