NSIB seeks strict life jacket enforcement to curb boat mishaps

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has called for strict enforcement of life jacket use on waterways to curb avoidable deaths.

Speaking in an interview published by Channels Television on Saturday, Abdullahi Babanya, NSIB’s director of transport investigation, said the recurring boat mishaps across Nigeria demand urgent policy action.

Babanya cited the recent Shiroro boat tragedy in Niger, where 39 passengers were onboard, but only seven wore life jackets.

“The NSIB got to know about the occurrence (the unfortunate Shiroro boat accident in Niger state that happened last Saturday) through the media, initially through social media,” he said.

Babanya said preliminary findings showed the boat, carrying 39 passengers, including a child, capsized in the river, leading to the death of 13 persons.

“What is important here is to mention that seven of the 39 passengers were wearing life vests, and all seven survived,” he said.

“So, what does this say? It says that some small but important steps need to be taken — just ensure that all those people boarding those boats wear safety jackets, those personal flotation devices.

“In the event of an accident, they will be able to remain alive and stay on the surface of the water until rescue comes.

“We can investigate air accidents. Since the inception of this administration, the director general has embarked on a multi-faceted and multi-pronged approach to improving our capacity and capability in investigating those other new modes that have been added to our mandate.”

Babanya said additional personnel will resume by September, after which they will undergo specialised training tailored to meet international standards for multi-modal accident investigations in Nigeria.

He added that the NSIB consulted industry experts to design a capacity-building programme aimed at ensuring independent and thorough investigations across air, road, rail, and marine sectors.