Tinubu seeks Senate’s approval of five bills on drug enforcement, safety, others

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded several bills to the Senate for consideration, including proposals to amend the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Act, establish a National School of Government and reform the legal framework governing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The bills were transmitted to the Senate in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read the executive communications conveying the proposed legislation during plenary on Tuesday.

The bills will now be considered by the Senate as part of the legislative process.

One of the proposals, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill 2026, seeks to amend the existing 2022 Act to reposition the bureau as an independent authority and expand its mandate. The proposed amendment also seeks to transfer supervisory oversight of the bureau to the Presidency, alongside changes to its administrative structure.

According to the letter, “The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill seeks to reposition the Bureau as an independent multimodal safety investigation authority, expanding its mandate beyond aviation to maritime and other transport occurrences.

“It also proposes transferring the Bureau’s oversight to the Presidency and strengthening its institutional, operational, administrative and constitutional framework.

Another proposal, the NDLEA Bill 2026, seeks to establish a consolidated legal framework for the operations of the NDLEA. The bill is expected to strengthen the agency’s powers, including its capacity to investigate individuals suspected of involvement in illicit drug-related activities.

According to the letter, “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill seeks to repeal the existing NDLEA Act and the Indian Hemp Act, both contained in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“The proposed legislation is intended to establish a consolidated legal framework for combating the cultivation, processing, trafficking and use of illicit drugs.

“It also seeks to empower the agency to investigate persons suspected of involvement in drug-related activities.”

President Tinubu also transmitted the National School of Government Bill (ASCON) 2026, which seeks to repeal the Administrative staff college of Nigeria act and establish a National School of Government.

The proposed institution is intended to serve as a national centre for governance training, public sector capacity development and institutional strengthening.

The National School of Government Bill seeks to repeal the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Act and establish a new institution to serve as a national centre for leadership development, policy delivery and executive capacity-building.

The President equally transmitted a bill seeking to domesticate the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their two Additional Protocols of 1977, which provide for the protection of victims of armed conflict, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, providing for the enforcement of punishment on genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression.

The letter reads further, “The Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols Bill seeks to repeal the existing Geneva Conventions Act and give effect in Nigeria to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the two Additional Protocols adopted in 1977.

“The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Enforcement) Bill seeks to domesticate the Rome Statute and establish a framework for the enforcement and punishment of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and related offences.

“It also provides for Nigeria’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court in the performance of its functions”.

Akpabio thereafter referred the bills to the Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.

Meanwhile, the Senate received notification of President Tinubu’s assent to two amendment bills providing for the inclusion of federal universities in Yaba, Lagos, and Kaduna in the relevant laws governing federal universities of technology.

Akpabio said the Federal University of Technology Amendment No. 2 Bill, 2026, provides for the inclusion of the Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies in Yaba in the relevant Act.

“The Federal University of Technology Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the Federal Universities of Technology Act to include the Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies in Kaduna”.

He thereafter referred the documents to the Clerk to the National Assembly for further action.

Akpabio commended Tinubu for assenting to the two bills, describing the development as an important step towards promoting education in Nigeria.

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