River Niger Bridge (Onitsha)

The Onitsha bridge into Onitsha.

The River Niger Bridge in Onitsha (also known as the Onitsha Bridge), Anambra State, Nigeria connects southeastern Nigeria with western Nigeria over the River Niger. It is linked to Asaba in Delta State, Nigeria.

History

Between 1964 and 1965, French construction giant, Dumez, constructed the Niger Bridge, to link Onitsha and Asaba in present-day Anambra and Delta States respectively. It cost £5 million to build. Construction of the bridge was completed in December 1965.^[1] During the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 - 1970, in an attempt to halt the Nigerian advance, retreating Biafran soldiers destroyed the River Niger Bridge at Onitsha, trapping the Nigerians on the other side of the river. After the war, the bridge was rehabilitated. The President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration has started works to reinforce the bridge, due to its economic relevance to Nigeria.

External links

Video of the Niger Bridge (Youtube.com)

Notes

↑ Udo, Reuben K. (1970). Geographical Regions of Nigeria. University of California Press. |access-date= requires |url= (help)

Niger River
Countries	Guinea Mali Niger Benin Nigeria
Sections	Source of the Niger Middle Niger Inner Niger Delta Lower Niger Niger Delta
Tributaries (list) and distributaries	Tinkisso River Sankarani River Milo River Bani River Mekrou River Alibori River Sola River Sokoto River Sota River Kaduna River Benue River Anambra River Forçados River Nun River Brass River
Cities	Siguiri Bamako Segou Mopti Timbuktu Gao Niamey Lokoja Onitsha
Lakes	Kainji Lake Lac Debo
Dams and bridges	King Fahd Bridge Martyrs Bridge Markala Dam Gao Bridge Kennedy Bridge Kainji Dam Jebba Dam River Niger Bridge (Onitsha)
Protected Areas	Niger Basin Authority National Park of Upper Niger W National Park Kainji National Park

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