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Ministry of Works mum as commuters remain stranded on Minna-Bida road over bridge collapse

THE Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMW&H) has remained mum since the collapse of the dilapidated bridge on the Bida-Minna Road at Sagamio Farms in Niger State.

Travellers going to go Minna and Bida, two major towns in the state are currently stranded as the Sagamio Farms bridge, which is about 23 kilometres from Bida and 60 kilometres from Minna finally collapsed on Sunday,  September 11, thereby cutting off the two towns.

Findings by NaijaTimes revealed that FMW&H is yet to speak on the development, as efforts to get them speak on the issue proved abortive. However, a source in the Ministry said they are determined to find immediate solution.

NaijaTimes gathered the collapse was as a result of the torrential rainfall across the state for the past five days. Findings showed that the water flowing under the bridge is one of the tributaries of River Niger that has overflowed its banks as a result of the rains.

 It was further gathered that the rain has flooded most towns and villages along the banks and destroyed the bridge,  turning it into a large chasm.

 “The bridge collapsed totally on Sunday. Consequently, commuters plying the Minna-Bida Road are stranded as you can see,” a villager, Ismaila Abubakar said.

According to Mohammed Aliyu, a stranded commuter on the road, “Most vehicles coming from the Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba axis and Minna, unaware of the development, are now trapped at the spot. We have been here the whole day.”

Recall that the contract for the road was earlier awarded by the Niger state government for reconstruction but was listed among the roads to be reconstructed by the federal government through the NNPC Road infrastructures intervention scheme. Work on the road has since stopped.

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