Tragedy: At Least 19 K!lled As Vehicle Conveying Bride And Family Plunges Into River After Bridge ¢ollapse In Zamfara

Tragedy: At Least 19 K!lled As Vehicle Conveying Bride And Family Plunges Into River After Bridge ¢ollapse In Zamfara

Tragedy struck in Zamfara State on Saturday, September 13, 2025, when a vehicle conveying a bride, her relatives, and other wedding guests plunged into a river after the Gwalli bridge collapsed in Fass community, Gummi Local Government Area.

The heartbreaking incident occurred at about 4:45 p.m. when the vehicle, carrying men, women, and children, was crossing the dilapidated bridge.

The structure suddenly gave way, sending the passengers and the vehicle into the river beneath.

Residents said at least 19 persons lost their l!ves in the accident, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Among the victims were family members of the bride, who had just concluded her wedding ceremony and was being escorted to her husband’s home in Jega community.

A resident of the area, Babangida Halifa Ibrahim Fass, who lost relatives in the incident, described the tragedy as devastating.

He explained that his newlywed sister was among those being conveyed when the bridge caved in.

“It was a day that was supposed to bring joy, but it turned into mourning. My sister had just been married and was being taken to her husband’s house in Jega when the bridge collapsed. We lost family members and neighbors in the accident,” he said.

Local sources revealed that the Gwalli bridge had long been in a state of disrepair, with community members repeatedly appealing to authorities to rehabilitate it. Sadly, their fears materialized in the most tragic way.

Emergency responders, residents, and local divers were said to have rushed to the scene, pulling victims out of the water and recovering bodies late into the evening.

The exact number of survivors could not be immediately confirmed, as rescue efforts were still ongoing as of the time of filing this report.

Community leaders have called on the Zamfara State Government and federal authorities to urgently int