Federal Government Reopens First Niger Bridge After 38-Day Closure

The Federal Government has reopened the First Niger Bridge to traffic, ending a 38-day closure that had cut off a key route between Onitsha, Anambra State, and Asaba, Delta State. Minister of Works Dave Umahi led the reopening event on Thursday, October 15, joined by federal and state officials and traditional rulers from Anambra and Delta states. Built in 1965, the bridge was closed on September 7 for emergency repairs after extensive structural vandalism was discovered, including damage to expansion-joint steelwork. The reopening had initially been scheduled for September 21, but the closure was extended because of heavy rainfall and unforeseen engineering difficulties. At the Onitsha approach, Umahi praised President Bola Tinubu's commitment to infrastructure development in the South-East and South-South zones. He urged residents to support the administration in the presidential election set for January 16, 2027. The minister acknowledged that further maintenance work remains. "What other regions are getting, the people of the South-South and South-East are getting it. And so, why should we not appreciate the President?" Umahi said, before officially declaring the bridge open to the public.