A joyous wedding celebration turned into devastating tragedy when a dilapidated bridge collapsed in Zamfara State, sending a vehicle carrying the bride and her family plunging into a river and killing at least 19 people.
The deadly incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at the Gwalli bridge in Fass community, Gummi Local Government Area, when a bus taking part in wedding celebrations fell into the water. The victims included men, women, and children who were family members of the late Sheikh Dauda Fass, a former state lawmaker.
“My newlywed sister was being taken to her husband’s home in Jega when the car fell from the bridge into the water,” recounted resident Babangida Halifa Ibrahim Fass. “As they were brought out, we found 19 of them dead.”
The tragedy highlights years of infrastructure neglect that residents say could have been prevented. The vital bridge connecting surrounding communities has remained in dangerous disrepair despite serving as a crucial transportation link for the area.
While the structure received rehabilitation during former Governor Abdulaziz Yari’s administration, severe erosion from heavy rainfall destroyed it seven years ago, leaving communities effectively cut off from safe passage. Earlier this year, desperate residents attempted makeshift repairs using sand-filling to patch the damaged sections, but these temporary measures proved inadequate.
The bridge’s deteriorating condition represents a broader infrastructure crisis affecting rural Nigerian communities. Residents of Bardoki ward, where the collapse occurred, have repeatedly appealed for government intervention to rebuild the crossing before disaster struck.
Community leaders described the mass casualties as entirely preventable, emphasizing that proper maintenance and timely reconstruction could have saved these lives. The victims’ deaths underscore the human cost of deferred infrastructure investment in Nigeria’s rural areas.
Local authorities and emergency responders worked to recover victims from the river following the collapse. The wedding party was traveling from the bride’s family home to her new husband’s residence in Jega when the aged bridge gave way under the vehicle’s weight.
The incident adds to ongoing challenges facing Zamfara State, which has grappled with security issues and underdeveloped infrastructure for years. Gummi Local Government Area, where the tragedy occurred, has previously experienced difficulties accessing essential services due to poor road networks and inadequate bridges.
Community representatives are now calling for immediate government intervention to provide relief to bereaved families while demanding permanent reconstruction of the collapsed bridge. They warn that without swift action, more lives could be lost as residents continue using dangerous alternative routes.
“This is not just a Gwalli problem, but a crisis affecting the entire Bardoki ward,” one resident emphasized. “We urge the authorities to come to our aid before more lives are lost.”
The wedding tragedy serves as a stark reminder of Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, particularly in rural areas where communities depend on aging bridges and roads that receive minimal maintenance. For families mourning their loved ones, the collapse represents not just personal loss but a failure of basic government responsibility to protect citizens.
State and federal authorities face mounting pressure to address the infrastructure gaps that contributed to this preventable disaster. The community’s calls for immediate action reflect broader frustrations with government responsiveness to rural infrastructure needs across northern Nigeria.
As rescue operations concluded and families prepared to bury their dead, the collapsed Gwalli bridge stands as a symbol of neglected infrastructure and its deadly consequences for Nigeria’s most vulnerable communities.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
