Zamfara Bridge Collapse: 19 Killed in Wedding Convoy Accident

Nineteen people were confirmed dead on Saturday after a weakened bridge gave way in Zamfara State, sending a vehicle loaded with wedding attendees crashing into a river.

The fatal accident happened at about 4:45 p.m. on Saturday on the Gwalli Bridge in Fass community, Gumi Local Government Area. The casualties included men, women, and children.

One of the bereaved, Babangida Halifa Ibrahim Fass, revealed that his newlywed sister was being escorted to her husband’s residence in Jega when the tragedy occurred.

“The vehicle dropped from the bridge straight into the water. When they were pulled out, 19 of them were already lifeless—men, women, and children alike,” he said.

The bride’s father, Sheikh Dauda Fass, a onetime legislator in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, was among the late relatives. Funeral rites were planned for Sunday morning.

The Gwalli Bridge, linking Fass with nearby towns like Gwalli and Yar Gusau, had been in poor condition for years. Though it underwent repairs during the tenure of ex-Governor Abdulaziz Yari, heavy flooding damaged the structure around seven years ago, forcing locals to depend on unsafe, improvised fixes.

Earlier this year, community members tried to reinforce the bridge with sand, but their effort failed, leading to Saturday’s catastrophe.

Babangida blamed repeated government neglect:
“Life has been hard since the collapse. At times we wade through the water just to bury the dead. We even packed rice and cement sacks with sand to fashion a temporary crossing.”

Residents added that during the rainy season, many risk drowning while attempting to cross the river. They described the latest disaster as a painful illustration of the dangerous conditions they live under despite endless assurances of improved infrastructure.

When reached for comment, the spokesperson for Governor Dauda Lawal, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, initially said he had no knowledge of the event but promised to seek clarification. Repeated follow-ups later yielded no further response.

The people of Fass and surrounding areas have called on both state and federal authorities to rebuild the collapsed bridge immediately, warning that more lives could be lost if urgent action is not taken. They also urged leaders to stop what they called “empty pledges.”