Farms, schools, markets cut off

For residents of Rabba community in Niger State, the destruction of their only major link to Mokwa has turned everyday life into a struggle, with farmers, schoolchildren and families now facing difficulties accessing essential services and economic activities.

A heavy downpour has washed away the wooden bridge linking Rabba with Mokwa Local Council, cutting off the community from neighbouring areas.

The bridge had been constructed and reconstructed several times by residents after the original concrete bridge was destroyed by the devastating Mokwa flood in May 2025, which reportedly claimed more than 200 lives and destroyed property worth billions of naira.

A source in the community said the latest destruction had effectively isolated Rabba, stressing that the wooden bridge was the only major access route connecting residents with farms, schools, healthcare facilities, markets and other social and economic activities.

The source said the situation had become particularly worrisome because of the community’s geographical location, with Rabba surrounded by water, including River Niger on one side and River Dingi on the other.

With the bridge now completely destroyed, residents and farmers are struggling to move between Rabba and Mokwa, transport farm produce and access essential services.

The development has also heightened concerns about the safety of residents, particularly in emergencies when access to healthcare and other critical services could become difficult.

Residents appealed to the Niger State Government to urgently intervene and reconstruct a permanent and durable bridge capable of withstanding future flooding.

They said repeated efforts to rebuild the wooden bridge through community contributions had exhausted their resources and could no longer provide a sustainable solution.

The community urged the government to treat the reconstruction of the Rabba bridge as an emergency, saying a permanent structure would restore access, protect livelihoods and reconnect residents with Mokwa and other parts of the local government.