President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted two bills to the Senate seeking to reform Nigeria’s drug law enforcement framework and expand the investigative powers of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The bills, known as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill 2026 and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill 2026, were submitted in separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday.
The proposed NDLEA Bill seeks to repeal existing drug enforcement laws and replace them with a consolidated legal framework to combat illicit drugs. Meanwhile, the NSIB amendment aims to strengthen the bureau’s independence and expand its safety investigation responsibilities beyond aviation accidents to other modes of transportation.
In his letter to the Senate, Tinubu said the NDLEA Bill would repeal the existing National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and the Indian Hemp Act, replacing them with a unified framework to address drug-related offences.
According to the President, the proposed legislation is designed to strengthen enforcement against the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of illicit drugs. It would also empower the agency to investigate individuals suspected of involvement in such activities.
The letter read, “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.”
Tinubu urged the Senate to give the proposed legislation expeditious consideration, expressing confidence in the lawmakers’ usual prompt attention to presidential submissions.
Following its presentation, Akpabio referred the NDLEA Bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
In a separate letter, the President sought the Senate’s consideration of the NSIB Amendment Bill 2026, which is intended to broaden the bureau’s mandate and strengthen its position as an independent safety investigation authority.
The proposed amendment seeks to extend the NSIB’s jurisdiction beyond aviation accidents to other forms of transportation. The expansion would provide a broader framework for investigating accidents, identifying their causes and recommending measures to prevent future incidents.
Tinubu also called for the expedited consideration of the NSIB amendment, which Akpabio referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business.
The proposed expansion of the bureau’s responsibilities comes amid renewed attention to aviation safety following the October 5 crash involving a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near Igbokoda in Ondo State.
In response to the incident, the Senate called for a comprehensive investigation into the crash, alongside an audit of military aircraft maintenance and serviceability.
While the NDLEA Bill seeks to consolidate Nigeria’s legal framework for combating illicit drugs, the NSIB amendment aims to strengthen independent safety investigations across the country’s transportation sector.