From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Residents of Ebonyi and Benue States have reported that over 50 lives were lost in 2025 due to canoe accidents on the Enyim/Oyongo River, the only means of crossing between the states before bridge construction began.
The Enyim Bridge, linking Enyim in Izzi Local Government Area, Ebonyi, to Igede in Oju, Benue, saw its construction flagged off by Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru on May 14, 2025.
Cyprian Nwekee, a traditional ruler from neighbouring Iziogo, recounted the river’s toll, including the death of a successful farmer from his community who drowned when a canoe capsized while transporting crops.
“Many people lost their lives trying to transport their agricultural products to markets,” Nwekee said, noting that canoes were used to access markets like Iboko Agwo in Benue and others in Cross River. He praised Nwifuru for initiating the 5-span bridge, expected to be completed in nine months, which will enhance trade and connectivity.
Ogba Isaac, Supervisor for Works in Oju, Benue, confirmed over 50 deaths this year, with more than 40 since January, some bodies unrecovered. “During the rainy season, our people used to die a lot trying to cross the bridge inside a canoe,” he said. Isaac highlighted the bridge’s potential to boost economic and agricultural activities, shorten travel times (e.g., Abakaliki to Oju in 38 miles), and connect to Lagos and Abuja efficiently, ending the “incessant mishap” on the river.
The bridge, constructed by the Nigerian Army, is seen as a critical infrastructure project linking the “Salt of the Nation” (Ebonyi) with the “Food Basket of the Nation” (Benue), fostering inter-state ties and reducing reliance on hazardous canoe crossings.