The collapsed Mokwa-Rabba bridge in Niger State, replaced by a fragile wooden structure built by locals after the May 29 flood disaster.
Residents and schoolchildren in Mokwa and Rabba communities of Mokwa Local Government Area, Niger State, are still grappling with serious challenges four months after the May 29 flood that claimed over 200 lives and swept away the only bridge connecting them to essential services such as schools, markets, hospitals, and farms.
Since the main bridge collapsed, locals have been depending on a weak, community-built wooden crossing that is increasingly becoming unsafe under heavy use.
Community members who spoke with SaharaReporters on Friday explained that the makeshift structure no longer serves their daily needs.
“The only bridge was carried away during the May 29 flood in Mokwa, which killed more than 200 people and displaced several families,” a resident recounted. “Before the community managed to put up the wooden bridge, people had to wade through the water to get across.”
The temporary bridge was put together by Rabba youths after the disaster, but villagers complain that authorities have failed to follow through on promises made during their visits.
“We gathered what we had as a community and built this wooden bridge so we could move around. Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago even passed through it when he visited and promised us that construction of a new bridge would start immediately,” another resident explained. “It’s been four months now, and nothing has been done.”
Governor Bago had earlier pledged ₦7 billion for three new bridges—two in Mokwa and one in Rabba—saying that work would commence without delay.
Similarly, the federal government announced an allocation of ₦16 billion for repairs. However, residents said not even the smallest work had begun, lamenting that “not even a rope” has been put in place to show progress.
The people expressed disappointment at what they described as unfulfilled promises.
“Just like every other pledge, this one is going the same way. They keep saying due process is delaying the project, but no one is telling us the real reason,” a resident complained.
For now, the collapsed bridge continues to disrupt life in the communities. Pupils cross the shaky wooden bridge daily to get to school, while families battle to reach healthcare facilities, markets, and farms.
“Nigeria is truly a country where promises are built faster than actual bridges,” one resident remarked.
Until the government takes action, the people of Mokwa and Rabba must keep struggling with dangerous conditions just to meet their basic needs and survive.
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