Passengers Missing as Boat Capsizes Near Collapsed Bridge in Taraba

Fear gripped Taraba communities on Friday evening as a passenger boat capsized near the long-abandoned Namnai Bridge in Gassol Local Government Area.

According to reports, the boat, caught in turbulent waters following a three-hour downpour, left at least three people missing. Locals fear the toll could rise.

Although no official count has been confirmed, eyewitnesses say the overloaded vessel struggled in the rising current before tipping over.

Search and rescue efforts began immediately as villagers, volunteers, and local authorities rushed to the riverbank.

However, the fast-moving water and fading daylight slowed progress.

Locals blamed the accident on the collapsed Namnai Bridge, a key route linking Taraba to Benue and several other parts of North Central and Northern Nigeria.

Since the bridge fell last year, residents and travelers have had no choice but to use wooden boats and makeshift rafts.

Despite public outcry, neither state nor federal authorities have rebuilt the structure or provided safe alternatives.

The latest tragedy sparked anger once again.

Professor John Ajai, who teaches at a nearby university, survived a similar incident just last week.

He recalled how the boat he boarded got stuck in the sand. “We couldn’t land.

The passengers panicked. Some cried. Others prayed. It was a terrifying half-hour,” he said. “If not for God’s mercy, we would have had another disaster that day.”

Professor Ajai condemned the government’s continued silence.

He criticised the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and FERMA for failing to send contractors or even issue a timeline for repairs.

He also faulted Taraba’s federal lawmakers for their inaction. “You may not be construction workers, but you’re elected to speak for us. Yet, your silence is louder than words.”

Angrily, he added, “Would Abuja or Lagos wait this long if a major bridge collapsed there? Why should we suffer like this in Taraba?”

As the search for missing passengers continues, frustration spreads. Residents insist that if the government fails to act quickly, more lives will be lost.

For now, families wait along the riverbank, praying for a miracle.

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