The Senate on Monday called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to collaborate on a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s anti-drug legislation.

The upper chamber noted that the National Assembly completed amendments to the NDLEA Act, 2004, in June 2025, but President Bola Ahmed Tinubu withheld assent, citing a conflict with Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Charles Luri-Bala, made the remarks at a technical workshop convened by the NHRC alongside civil society groups and human rights defenders at Abuja Continental Hotel.

The workshop, titled “Towards a Comprehensive Drug Harm Reduction Strategy in Nigeria: Legislative Perspectives and Opportunities”, focused on improving drug laws to safeguard the health and well-being of people who use drugs and their communities.

Senator Bamidele commended the NHRC and its partners for organising the forum, highlighting the need for a multi-sectoral approach to address challenges posed by illicit drug use while respecting fundamental human rights.

“An effective drug strategy must move away from punitive policies that stigmatise individuals, and instead prioritise treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration,” Bamidele said.

He added that the Senate’s amendment to the NDLEA Act was designed to reflect this approach, but was returned by the President due to constitutional concerns.

“The fact that the bill was not assented to in June 2025 does not prevent it from being reconsidered if the conflicting sections are adequately addressed,” he explained.

The Senate leader urged stakeholders to collaborate in refining the bill, emphasising that once enacted, it could transform the country’s anti-drug policies and contribute to national development. He assured participants that lawmakers are committed to providing legal and institutional support for evidence-based drug-harm reduction strategies.

The proposed law initially sought to allow the NDLEA to retain a portion of proceeds from drug-related crimes. Currently, all proceeds are remitted to the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account, a provision the President cited as conflicting with the Constitution.

Senator Bamidele noted that insights from the workshop, particularly from legal experts and specialists, would be invaluable to the National Assembly as it considers the necessary policy reforms to enhance Nigeria’s drug control framework.

In other news, the Bauchi State Police Command has handed over a suspected drug dealer, Mr Ogbu Simon, together with seized substances weighing about 161 kilogrammes, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.

Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, speaking at the Command Headquarters on Friday, said the arrest was the result of a successful operation in Ningi Local Government Area.

“Worthy of note is the successful operation that led to the arrest of a drug dealer in Ningi LGA. The Command has apprehended Mr Ogbu Simon, a suspected narcotics dealer, and recovered 161kg of illicit drugs,” he stated.

According to Aliyu, the estimated value of the recovered narcotics is approximately N12.2 million. He explained that on 26 November, at about 2000 hours, operatives from the Ningi Divisional Police Headquarters acted on intelligence provided by a concerned citizen regarding suspicious sacks being unloaded at a shop owned by the suspect. A raid led by Divisional Police Officer, CSP Surajo Ibrahim Birnin Kudu, resulted in the seizure of four bags containing suspected Diazepam (D5) and Tramadol tablets.

Aliyu added that the suspect, alleged to have supplied narcotics from Onitsha in Anambra State to Ningi and surrounding areas, was arrested following further investigation by the Operation Restore Peace unit.