The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Taraba State has issued a three-month ultimatum to the state and federal governments to commence reconstruction of the collapsed Namnai Bridge in Gassol Local Government Area of the state.

The bridge, which caved in in August 2024, has remained unattended for over a year, a situation that has continued to inflict hardship on motorists, traders, and residents of the host community.
The Namnai Bridge is a critical transport link connecting the Northeast, North-Central, and Southern parts of the country, and its collapse has severely disrupted the movement of goods into Taraba State, leading to a noticeable increase in the prices of essential commodities.
Angered by the prolonged neglect, members of the coalition on Sunday visited the site of the collapsed bridge, where they vowed to explore all lawful means to ensure that the necessary corrective measures are taken.

The group warned that if the government fails to act within the stipulated three months, it will mobilise 5,000 signatures and invoke the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to demand accountability.
Speaking at the site, the Secretary of the coalition, Bello Adamu Bako, expressed disbelief that both the state and federal governments had failed to repair the bridge sixteen months after its collapse.
He said the coalition had unanimously resolved to invoke the FOI Act should the government continue to show what he described as a lukewarm attitude.

Bako highlighted the loss of lives, destruction of goods worth millions of naira, and the untold hardship faced by motorists due to the collapsed bridge, stressing that the need for urgent government intervention could no longer be overemphasised.
He also commended an individual who constructed a makeshift bridge to ease the suffering currently faced by road users.
Also speaking, BudgIT Tracker Regional Coordinator for the North-East, Samuel Obibisong, expressed sadness over what he described as government indifference to such critical infrastructure.

He urged both levels of government to urgently put mechanisms in place to fast-track the reconstruction of the bridge.
According to Obibisong, any leader with empathy would not abandon the infrastructure of such importance, noting that the collapse of the bridge had resulted in the loss of lives, property, and farmlands.
He added that fixing the bridge would restore hope and bring relief to the affected communities.

Motorists and drivers who spoke with The Guardian also expressed frustration over what they described as the politicisation of the bridge’s reconstruction.
They applauded the individual who provided a temporary crossing and called on the government to be more responsive and proactive to the plight of the people.