Several passengers and vehicles, including trucks, have been stranded along the Limankara-Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State after heavy rainfall washed away a bridge along the route.
Some of the affected passengers, who have spent two days stranded while travelling to Mubi in Adamawa State, said the situation had left hundreds of travellers without food and access to essential supplies.
Daniel Adamu and Abubakar Audu, two of the stranded travellers, said the heavy rainfall had worsened an already difficult journey along the road, which they described as a route affected by insecurity.
“Due to heavy rainfall, hundreds of passengers are stranded without food on the road, which is already associated with insecurity,” they said.
The travellers said the bridge had previously been awarded for construction but the project was not completed.
They explained that many of the affected vehicles had left Maiduguri and were heading towards Gwoza, Mubi or Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
According to them, continuous rainfall over the past two days had made it impossible for vehicles and passengers to cross safely.
“It has been raining for the last two days, which has made it difficult for us to cross to the other side as both sides of the bridge have been washed away,” they said.
The stranded passengers appealed to the Federal Government and the Borno State Government to urgently intervene and provide assistance.
“We call on the Federal Government and the Borno State Government to come to our aid; we are seriously suffering on this road,” they said.
The travellers also claimed that some people had lost their lives while attempting to cross the flooded section of the road.
“I learnt some lives were lost while crossing due to the high volume of water,” they added.
Travellers Face Long Alternative Route
Following the damage to the bridge, passengers travelling from Borno State to Yola may now have to use the Damaturu-Gombe route.
The alternative route is about 500 kilometres, significantly increasing the distance and travel time for motorists and passengers.
The more direct Damaturu-Biu-Yola road has also been affected by poor road conditions and security concerns, including reported abductions along the route.
The development has therefore raised concerns about the safety and welfare of travellers who depend on the Limankara-Gwoza corridor for movement between communities in Borno and neighbouring Adamawa State.