• President transmits NDLEA, NSIB amendment bills to Senate, seeks expeditious passage
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has asked Senate to consider two bills seeking to overhaul Nigeria’s legal frameworks for combating illicit drugs and investigating transportation accidents, including proposals to strengthen the powers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and expand the mandate of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) beyond aviation.
Tinubu transmitted NDLEA Bill 2026 and NSIB Amendment Bill 2026 to Senate in separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
While the proposed NDLEA legislation seeks to repeal the existing National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and the Indian Hemp Act and replace them with a consolidated legal framework for tackling drug-related offences, the NSIB amendment seeks to reposition the bureau as an independent, multimodal safety investigation authority.
In his letter transmitting the NDLEA Bill, Tinubu said the proposed legislation would establish a consolidated framework to strengthen enforcement against the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of illicit drugs.
The president explained that the bill sought to repeal the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap. I16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, in favour of a unified legislative framework.
He stated, “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill 2026 seeks to repeal the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap. I16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and to enact a consolidated framework to enforce the law against the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of hard drugs.”
The proposed legislation also seeks to empower the agency to investigate persons suspected of involvement in drug-related activities, strengthening its capacity to tackle offences associated with illicit substances.
Urging the senate to give the bill prompt consideration, Tinubu said, “While looking forward to the usual expeditious consideration of this submission, please accept, Distinguished Senate President and Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
Following its presentation, Senate referred the NDLEA Bill to its Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
In a separate communication, the president transmitted the NSIB Amendment Bill 2026, seeking amendments to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Act No. 35 of 2022.
The proposed amendment seeks to transform the bureau from an institution primarily associated with aviation accident investigations into a multimodal safety investigation authority with responsibility for investigating occurrences across different transportation sectors.
Under the proposed framework, NSIB’s mandate would extend beyond aviation accidents and incidents to cover occurrences involving rail, maritime, and other modes of transportation.
The bill also seeks to transfer supervisory oversight of the bureau to the presidency while strengthening its institutional, operational and administrative powers.
The proposed changes are intended to establish a broader legal and institutional framework for transportation safety investigations, covering multiple modes of transport under the bureau’s expanded mandate.
In his letter to Senate, Tinubu said he was forwarding the proposed amendment for consideration in accordance with Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He urged Senate to expedite consideration of the legislation.
The NSIB Amendment Bill was subsequently referred to Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.