The Federal Government has announced the immediate partial closure of the Keffi Bridge in Nasarawa State following damage caused by a heavy-duty vehicle that struck and dislodged parts of the structure.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while reacting to the incident, which involved an excavator-loaded truck hitting the bridge and causing a partial collapse.
According to the Minister, the closure became necessary to prevent further deterioration and to protect public safety. Umahi stated that only the affected carriageway, which sustained direct impact from the vehicle, would be shut down for now.
“We have directed the shutdown of the Keffi Bridge. But the shutdown is definitely the first carriageway that had direct impact with the excavator,” he said. “We are sending senior technical officers to work with the controller of that location, and then we will assess the second carriageway. If the beams of the second carriageway are affected, then the entire bridge will be shut down, and it becomes an emergency situation.”
The Minister explained that the ministry is working on an immediate design solution and will engage a qualified contractor with relevant expertise to carry out repairs. He emphasized the importance of complying with engineering standards in bridge construction, particularly the 5.6-meter standard headroom for flyovers.
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Umahi attributed recent incidents of bridge damage across the country to violations of traffic codes, particularly the use of high-bed trucks that exceed the designated height limits. He noted that these violations have led to structural failures and disruptions to traffic and commerce.
To address the recurring problem, the Minister said that a new standard headroom of 6.5 meters would be considered for future flyover designs, and the ministry would begin installing metal height restrictors at bridge entrances to prevent over-height vehicles from accessing them.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Olofunsho Adebiyi, also confirmed the incident, explaining that the excavator being transported by the truck struck the beam of the Keffi Bridge, severely compromising its structural integrity.
He said the impact of the excavator destroyed part of the bridge’s slab and displaced a section of the beam, rendering that portion of the structure unsafe.
“It has totally distorted and affected the structural integrity of the entire structure there,” Adebiyi said. “The public cannot be allowed to continue to do things that destroy our expensive infrastructure.”
The ministry has advised motorists and residents to cooperate with traffic officials and use alternative routes where necessary as assessments and repair work commence on the affected bridge section.