The heavy downpour that occurred in the early hours of Friday in Jalingo, Taraba state capital, has collapsed a major bridge popularly called Gadan-Mallam-Audu, linking Jalingo to Yoro local government area of the state. Leaving travellers stranded.
Gadan-Mallam-Audu is a major bridge that marketers, students, civil servants, farmers and travellers use within the area. It is mostly known for crossing with farm products cultivated from the Yoro mountains into Jalingo for commercial purposes.
Our correspondent’s visit to the collapsed bridge discovered that most formers who left Jalingo in the early hours to Yoro and those who left Yoro for Jalingo were seen stranded at both sides of the bridge.
The bridge is the only route across the river Mayo-Gwayi within the axis.
Most of the civil servants who leave Jalingo for work in Yoro on Motorcycles were also trapped at the collapse of the bridge since there was no alternative means to cross at the time of the report.
Speaking with our correspondent, some farmers, Motorcycle riders, traders, students, civil servants and community members said the bridge had been a threat for over some months before it finally collapsed on Friday during the rainfall.
“The bridge was constructed through the intervention of Hon. Kasimu Bello Maigari, the former member of the House of Representatives for Jalingo, Yorro and Zing Federal Constituency. It formed a threat for some months before it collapsed today. Mr Yohana Bulus, a civil servant with Yoro LGA, said.
It is gathered that Gadan-Mallam-Audu is the second major bridge that collapsed in Taraba state. The people in the state were still battling with the collapsed River Namnai bridge along Jalingo-Wukari Highway for over three years following the activities of heavy downpour within Gasol local government area of the state.
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