The Niger State Government has announced a tougher enforcement regime on inland waterways, declaring that boat operators who fail to provide or enforce the use of life jackets for passengers will face immediate arrest and prosecution.
This decision follows the tragic Zumba boat mishap in Shiroro Local Government Area where at least 13 people, including women and children, lost their lives in early August. According to eyewitnesses, the passengers were not wearing life jackets despite previous government distributions of safety gear in the area.
State Commissioner for Transport, Hajiya Hadiza Idris Kuta, speaking at a press briefing in Minna, lamented that negligence continues to cost lives despite repeated warnings. “We have distributed over 150 jackets to operators in the last two years, yet in this unfortunate accident, none of the victims was found wearing one,” she said. “We will no longer tolerate excuses. Any operator who disregards this rule will be prosecuted.”
Beyond the sanctions, the state also provided succor to bereaved families with ₦200,000 cash support each, alongside food supplies—50 kg bags of rice and maize and fresh distributions of additional life jackets to local communities.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has also waded in, stressing that the 2023 Inland Waterways Transportation Code mandates “no life jacket, no boarding”. NIWA disclosed plans to deploy water marshals to enforce compliance, prohibit night journeys, and introduce navigational aids on the busy Kainji Lake and Niger River corridors.
Maritime safety experts have described the state’s new stance as “long overdue,” noting that Nigeria has one of the highest boat accident fatality rates in West Africa. Past tragedies, such as the 2023 Kwara wedding boat accident that killed over 100 villagers, remain a stark reminder of the consequences of weak enforcement.
