Ribadu, Bala Usman justify NSIB relocation to presidency
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, have defended the Federal Government’s decision to reposition the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) under the Presidency, describing the move as necessary to strengthen investigative independence, transparency, and national coordination. They spoke during a high-level stakeholder engagement […]
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, have defended the Federal Government’s decision to reposition the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) under the Presidency, describing the move as necessary to strengthen investigative independence, transparency, and national coordination.
They spoke during a high-level stakeholder engagement held at the Joint Intelligence Board Hall of the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja, where government agencies and transportation stakeholders met to discuss implementation of the new reporting framework approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March 2026.
Under the new arrangement, the NSIB will now report directly to the Presidency through the Office of the National Security Adviser, ending its previous supervisory alignment with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The engagement brought together representatives from the aviation, maritime, rail, road transportation, emergency management, and security sectors, including the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Federal Ministry of Justice, Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigeria Police Force, National Emergency Management Agency, and the Armed Forces.
Speaking at the meeting, Ribadu said the Presidency approved the reform to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, strengthen investigative neutrality, and improve national coordination during transportation-related emergencies and accident investigations.
According to him, transportation incidents increasingly intersect with national security concerns, infrastructure protection, emergency response coordination, and intelligence management, making closer institutional collaboration necessary.
“The new framework is designed to strengthen coordination and preserve the independence required for credible investigations,” Ribadu said.
He explained that the Office of the National Security Adviser would provide institutional coordination and oversight support, particularly in situations where investigations involve systemic failures or operational lapses connected to agencies within the transportation sector.
Ribadu stressed that the independence of accident investigation bodies is critical to maintaining public trust and professional transparency.
He further disclosed that the Federal Government had already commenced steps to amend the NSIB Establishment Act 2022 to align with the new governance framework.
According to him, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation is expected to constitute a technical drafting committee involving relevant agencies and stakeholders to support the legislative process.
In her remarks, Hadiza Bala Usman said President Tinubu’s decision reflects a broader institutional reform aimed at aligning Nigeria’s transportation safety architecture with international best practices.
She noted that advanced transportation investigation agencies across the world operate independently of sector regulators in order to ensure transparency and public confidence.
According to her, the repositioning of the NSIB under the Presidency mirrors globally recognised models such as the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile.
Usman added that the reform would promote a more integrated national response framework for transportation accidents and emergencies.
Also speaking during the engagement, Director-General of the NSIB, Alex Badeh Jr., described the relocation as a major institutional development that would improve investigative transparency, operational independence, and inter-agency collaboration.
“Our responsibility remains preventive, not punitive. The Bureau determines probable causes of accidents, identifies systemic safety gaps, and issues recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences. We do not regulate, prosecute, or apportion blame,” Badeh said.
He added that the new reporting structure would improve occurrence notification timelines, evidence preservation, and coordinated response during investigations involving multiple agencies or incidents with wider national security implications.
Stakeholders at the meeting unanimously supported the reform and agreed on plans to develop inter-agency standard operating procedures, establish memoranda of understanding among relevant institutions, and commence legislative amendments necessary for full implementation of the framework.