By Deborah Nnamdi
A tragic accident occurred on Sunday when a commercial bus carrying an unspecified number of passengers plunged into the Namnai River in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The incident was reported by security analyst Zagazola Makama in a post on X (formerly Twitter). According to Makama, the bus—branded Adamawa Express—was attempting to cross a collapsed bridge when it lost balance and fell into the river.
Eyewitnesses said the accident happened in the early hours of the day. The bus, en route to Taraba State, reportedly slipped on the broken portion of the Namnai Bridge and tumbled into the river.
Makama noted that the bridge had collapsed over a year ago and remains unrepaired despite repeated promises by successive administrations to fix it.
“This tragedy highlights the danger posed by the dilapidated Namnai Bridge, which has become a deadly trap for commuters,” Makama wrote, quoting a resident who described the neglected bridge as a “constant threat to lives and property.”
“We have lost many lives and properties here due to government neglect. This latest incident shows just how urgently this bridge needs to be fixed,” the resident added.
The exact number of passengers and possible casualties remains unknown as of the time of filing this report.
Attempts to reach the Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, Yahaya Suleiman, were unsuccessful, as his phone line was unreachable and a text message sent to him had not been answered.
Photos shared in Makama’s post showed the wreckage of the bus and the recovered bodies of some victims from the river.
