Tinubu Sends NDLEA, NSIB Bills To Senate

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded two proposed laws to the Senate seeking changes to Nigeria’s drug enforcement system and the powers of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

The bills, which are the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill 2026 and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill 2026, were sent to the upper chamber in separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The proposed laws aim to strengthen the legal framework for fighting drug-related offences and expand the responsibilities of the NSIB to cover safety investigations involving different forms of transportation.

Tinubu forwarded the bills in line with Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides for the transmission of bills to the President for assent after their passage by the National Assembly.

In his letter on the NDLEA Bill, the President proposed repealing the existing National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and the Indian Hemp Act to create a single legal framework for tackling drug-related crimes.

The proposed legislation is expected to strengthen efforts against the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of illegal drugs across the country.

It also seeks to give the NDLEA greater powers to investigate individuals suspected of involvement in drug-related activities.

Tinubu urged the Senate to consider the bill without unnecessary delay, stressing the need for a more unified legal framework to support the agency’s operations.

Following the presentation of the proposal, Akpabio referred the NDLEA Bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.

The second proposal, the NSIB Amendment Bill 2026, seeks to change the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Act No. 35 of 2022.

The amendment is designed to strengthen the bureau’s independence and expand its authority beyond investigations involving aircraft accidents and incidents.

If passed into law, the proposed changes would allow the bureau to investigate accidents and safety incidents involving railways, maritime transportation and other modes of transport.

The bill also proposes moving the bureau’s supervisory oversight to the Presidency while strengthening its institutional structure and administrative and operational powers.

The proposed changes come amid increased attention to aviation safety following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near Igbokoda in Ondo State on October 5.

Reports on the incident indicated that 25 people died in the crash, prompting renewed calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Senate has also called for a comprehensive investigation into the crash and an assessment of military aircraft maintenance, serviceability and the funding available for keeping the aircraft in good condition.

The proposed amendment to the NSIB law is expected to strengthen the country’s ability to investigate transportation accidents independently and improve safety oversight across different sectors.

In his letter to the Senate, Tinubu requested lawmakers’ consideration of the proposed changes in accordance with the relevant constitutional provisions. He also urged the chamber to speed up the legislative process.

Akpabio subsequently referred the NSIB Amendment Bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further consideration.

Both bills will now undergo additional scrutiny by the Senate as lawmakers examine their provisions before deciding on the next steps in the legislative process.

While the proposed NDLEA law seeks to bring existing drug enforcement provisions together under a consolidated legal framework, the NSIB amendment aims to expand the bureau’s investigative responsibilities and strengthen its independence in handling safety incidents across Nigeria’s transportation sector.