Zamfara Governor Mourns 19 Wedding Guests Drowned in Gummi River

A wedding celebration in Zamfara State turned tragic on Saturday when 19 passengers drowned while accompanying a bride to her new home in Gummi Local Government Area.

The incident occurred near Gwalli village when a commercial bus attempted to cross a collapsed bridge patched with sandbags and stones by residents.

According to an eyewitness, Alhaji Musa, the driver, who was unfamiliar with the route, struggled to navigate the damaged structure before the vehicle plunged into a deep ditch.

“As the driver was moving carefully on the collapsed bridge, the bus went off the road and ran into the deep ditch as a result of which, the passengers drowned in the river,” Musa recounted.

He added that the bride and a few others managed to escape, while 19 bodies were later recovered.

The tragedy has thrown several communities, including Bardoki ward, into mourning, with grieving families lamenting the sudden loss of loved ones.

Reacting to the incident, Governor Dauda Lawal, through the Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Mahmud Dantawasa, described the accident as “an act of God” and extended condolences to the affected communities.

“The Zamfara State Government has received with shock the demise of several passengers drowned in the river after a wedding ceremony,” the governor’s message read.

“His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal, on behalf of the Zamfara State Government, wishes to condole with the people of Gummi Local Government, Gummi Emirate Council, Bardoki ward, and the families of all the victims over their loss. May the most exalted paradise be their final abode, aamin.”