President Bola Tinubu has declined to sign into law the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, recently passed by the National Assembly.
The proposed legislation sought to empower the NDLEA to retain a portion of the proceeds recovered from drug-related crimes—a provision that diverges from the existing legal framework.
The decision was conveyed to the House of Representatives during Thursday’s plenary session, as read by the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas.
Citing constitutional concerns, President Tinubu referenced Section 58, Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution, and stated that assenting to the bill “was a contravention of the aforementioned sections.”
He explained further that “under existing law, all proceeds from crime must be deposited into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account.”
President Tinubu clarified that disbursement to relevant agencies involved in the recovery process must follow due process, noting that “any disbursement to relevant agencies involved in recoveries must be made by the President, and only with the approval of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.”
The bill will now be subject to further legislative review, as the National Assembly weighs its next steps following the president’s refusal.
