Correspondent Report
The Mayo Kham bridge along the Jalingo-Bali road in Taraba State has collapsed due to massive flooding, severely disrupting business activities and transportation in the region. The 45-year-old bridge, located 88.5 kilometers from Jalingo in the Bali local government area, was significantly affected by gully erosion.
Radio Nigeria Correspondent who visited the location of the bridge at Mayo-Kham in Bali local government area of Taraba on Sunday reported that the 45 year old bridge which is 88.5 km away from Jalingo is affected by gully erosion.
He noted that the bridge which had been serving as an alternative route for commuters and vehicles, is no longer passable. Heavy-duty trucks were already unable to use the narrow colonial-era bridge, and now the collapse has halted vital road links to several communities, including Gembu in Sardauna local government, Baisa in Kurmi local government, Gashaka local government, and Takum local government area.
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Alhaji Yakubu Muhammad, the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works in Taraba State, stated that there were no prior indicators of the disaster. He suggested that emergency measures, possibly involving community efforts or other forms of intervention, might be necessary to restore movement over the bridge. He urged the public to avoid using the bridge until it is repaired and assured that he would report the situation to the relevant authorities for a swift response.
Local residents have expressed their concerns, calling on the state government to urgently address the problem. “Transporting our farm products to nearby markets will no doubt also be affected if the government fails to fix it in time,” said one local farmer.
This disaster comes just two days after a similar incident in Namnai, Gassol Local Government Area, where the main bridge connecting Jalingo to Wukari and other parts of southern Nigeria was washed away by floods.