NIWA seizes expired, substandard life jackets from Lagos boat operators

By Seun Ibiyemi

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), on Monday, seized thousand of expired and substandard life jackets from boat operators at the Marina Jetty in Lagos.

The exercise which was carried out by the Lagos Area office led to seizure of thousands of substandard life jackets destroyed by the enforcement team of the authority.

Speaking to journalists, the Lagos Area Manager, NIWA, Engr. Sarat Buraimah, said the exercise was a routine exercise embarked upon by the area office.

According to her, life jacket is a life saver especially when there is an accident but when it is old, fake or substandard, then the users are at risk of losing their lives.

“This is a routine exercise. We did not  start today. We need to remove all fake substandard life jackets from circulation. It is an item that is supposed to save people during time of emergency, which is why we strap it around our body.

“When accident occurs, life jacket is to keep you floating for some hours before help should come but in this aspect, but because of the nature of these life jackets, it becomes increasingly impossible to do that. So to save lives, we need to impound them.

“The exercise will be continuous and we will continue catching them unawares until we fully sanitise the system,” Engr. Buraimah said.