By Abdullahi Inuwa
Residents of Gadar Obi community in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State have raised the alarm over the deteriorating condition of their only major bridge and access road, warning that a complete collapse could cut the community off from Birnin Kebbi, schools, farms and markets.
The community Chairman, Alhaji Farukku Abubakar Sala-Sala, made the appeal in an interview with Radio Nigeria in Birnin Kebbi, saying the bridge had served residents for decades but was now in a critical state.
According to him, Gadar Obi derived its name from the bridge, which is located on the outskirts of Birnin Kebbi and provides a vital link between the community and the state capital.
He explained that the two bridges were originally constructed decades ago by a contractor popularly known as Obi/Obison, who needed access to the area to obtain sand, soil and gravel during construction work at an Army barracks in Kebbi State.
Since then, Sala-Sala said, residents had relied on the bridges as their main connection to the local government and state capitals, carrying out periodic repairs with their limited resources.
However, he said the situation had become increasingly dangerous, as the waterways beneath the bridges had completely deteriorated, triggering erosion and weakening the structures.
“We have been doing everything within our capacity to prevent the bridges from collapsing, but the situation is now beyond what the community can handle,” he said.
The community leader appealed to the Kebbi State Government, federal authorities, philanthropists and other well-meaning individuals to urgently intervene before disaster strikes.
He disclosed that residents had repeatedly presented the problem to previous administrations without receiving the desired intervention, but expressed renewed hope following the community’s appeal to Governor Nasir Idris.
He said the APC Kebbi Central Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Umar Buro, had visited the area, inspected the deteriorating infrastructure and assured residents that urgent intervention would be pursued.
Another resident, Malam Tukur Usman, described the condition of the road and bridges as “terrible,” saying residents could no longer shoulder the cost of maintaining them.
Usman warned that a collapse would have severe consequences for the community, potentially cutting residents off from their schools, farms and markets while disrupting economic and social activities.
“We are appealing to government and wealthy individuals to come to our aid. The community has been making annual efforts to maintain the road and bridges, but the problem has now gone beyond our capacity,” he said.
Also speaking, Malam Umar Gadar Obi called for the reconstruction of the bridge and the opening of additional roads to accommodate the community’s rapid expansion.
He noted that Gadar Obi was gradually developing into a new settlement, with increasing numbers of people purchasing land and constructing houses in the area.
The residents therefore urged the authorities to treat the reconstruction of the bridge as an emergency, stressing that timely intervention would not only prevent isolation but also protect livelihoods and support the continued development of the growing community.
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