17 Wedding Guests Die As Bus Plunges Into Zamfara River

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that 17 people lost their lives on Saturday when a commercial bus carrying a bride and her wedding guests plunged into a river between Gwalli village and Gummi town in Zamfara State.

The accident happened as the passengers, who were travelling from Fass village in Gummi Local Government Area to Kebbi State, attempted to cross a collapsed bridge patched with sandbags and stones by local residents.

SRC Isah Aliyu, Public Education Officer of the Zamfara FRSC Sector Command, said the bridge, which had collapsed earlier in the week, gave way despite villagers’ temporary repairs.

He noted that the overloaded bus slipped off the weakened structure and overturned into the river.

According to an eyewitness report, the driver, unfamiliar with the terrain, had tried to navigate the makeshift passage when the vehicle skidded.

A relative of the victims, Usman, said the overloaded bus had earlier scraped against rocks used to fill the washed-away portion of the bridge.

“The bride and a few others stepped out of the bus, but while the driver was still outside, the vehicle suddenly lurched to the side, overturned, and plunged into the river,” he recounted.

According to community members, 19 passengers may have died in the incident, but the FRSC officially confirmed 17 deaths as of press time.

Local divers are still searching for two people reported missing.

The bride and those who had stepped out before the accident survived. However, the tragedy has left the community in grief, as many calls for urgent government intervention.

The Deputy Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Hon. Adamu Aliyu Gummi, who represents Gummi II Constituency, described the incident as heartbreaking.

“The bridge has been in disrepair for over five years despite repeated appeals. The people have used over 2,000 sandbags to patch it, yet lives continue to be lost every rainy season,” he lamented.

FRSC Sector Commander Maaji, while confirming the casualties, cautioned motorists to avoid night travel, desist from overloading, and always seek updated road information before embarking on journeys.

Meanwhile, search and recovery efforts are ongoing for those still missing.