Buhari Abba
In what residents have described as a national disgrace, a crumbling 19-kilometer road in Dambatta Local Government Area of Kano State has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 100 people—many of them pregnant women and children—over the past five years.
The road, which links the communities of Gwarabjawa, Gwalaida, Tagwaye, Baro, Daki Tara, Zago, Fayam Fayan, and stretches to Babura in Jigawa State and into Niger Republic, remains untarred and in a severe state of disrepair. Residents rely on it for access to healthcare, markets, and education.
“This is not just a road issue; it is a matter of life and death,” said the Ward Head of Gwauron Maje, Alhaji Anas Usman Muhammad. “We have lost more than 100 people in five years because of this poor road. Pregnant women, children, and the elderly die on the way to the hospital simply because ambulances can’t pass—especially during the rainy season.”
Each rainy season worsens the situation as the road becomes impassable, cutting off villages from basic services, including Dambatta General Hospital. Emergencies often end in death because help cannot arrive in time.
Commercial motorcyclist Ibrahim Dansudu Gwauron Maje said: “I have fallen into potholes while carrying pregnant women. Sometimes we spend hours trying to push our bikes out of the mud. We are just tired.”
For grain trader Malam Nura Zago, the road has affected their business. “This road is the backbone of our farming business. During harvest season, buyers don’t come because they can’t pass. We lose our goods and our money. How long will this continue?”
Residents feel ignored. “We are the economic engine of this LGA, but look at how we’re being treated,” said Bayero Muhammad Gwauron Maje, a farmer.
Locals have tried to fix the road themselves. “Every year, we come together to fill the potholes with sand and stones, but once the rains come, everything is washed away,” said Abdullahi Fayam Fayan, a youth leader. “We need help. We need the state government to come and see our suffering. This road is not just a route to town—it is a lifeline.”
The road’s condition is also driving young people away. “Young people are leaving. No one wants to stay in a place where you can’t easily access a hospital, school, or market. The road has pushed our children away,” said Hajiya Rabi Baro, a retired teacher.
Tragedy has become personal for many. “My son died in my arms on our way to Dambatta Hospital because the tricycle got stuck in the mud,” said Aisha Tagwaye. “If the road were good, he would still be alive.”
Residents say their complaints have been ignored. “We hear promises every election season, but nothing changes,” said Malam Yusuf Daki Tara. “It’s as if we don’t exist.”
Kano Times visited the area and observed that a journey that should take less than 15 minutes now takes nearly an hour due to the road’s condition.
With the rainy season approaching, concern is rising. “We have buried enough of our people,” said Malam Danlami Zago, a community elder. “Let this not continue. Let the government hear our cry.”
Efforts to reach the Kano State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Marwan Ahmad, were unsuccessful.
A local chairman’s aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed awareness of the issue. “The Chairman is aware of their plight. He has promised to visit the community and address the situation once and for all,” he said.
