President Bola Tinubu has sent five reform bills to the Senate, covering drug enforcement, transport safety, public sector training, and domestic adoption of international laws on armed conflict and criminal justice.
The bills seek to repeal and re-enact the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Act and the Indian Hemp Act, as well as amend the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Act, 2022.
President Tinubu transmitted the bills as amended, to the Senate in separate letters read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Tuesday.
One of the proposals, 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.
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 legislation seeks to reposition the bureau as an independent, multimodal safety investigation authority.
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Under the proposed changes, the bureau’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 and strengthen its institutional, operational and administrative powers.
President Tinubu also transmitted the National School of Government Bill 2026, which seeks to repeal the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON, 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 President equally transmitted a bill seeking to domesticate the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their two Additional Protocols of 1977.
The conventions and protocols provide legal protections for victims of armed conflicts and establish rules governing the conduct of hostilities.
Lastly transmitted was the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, providing for the enforcement of punishment for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression.
The proposed legislation also provides for Nigeria’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court in the performance of its functions.
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