President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to sthe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill, 2025 into law over a clause that would allow the agency keep part of the crime proceeds.
The President’s decision not to sign the bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly was contained in a letter read in the Green Chamber during plenary on Thursday.
The President, citing Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), explained that the proposed law seeks to empower the NDLEA to retain a portion of the proceeds from drug-related crimes, a move he said contradicts existing financial regulations.
He said under the current system, “All proceeds of crime are paid into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. Disbursements to any recovery agency, including the NDLEA, can only be made by presidential approval, subject to the consent of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.”
Tinubu argued that there was no compelling reason to alter a process designed to uphold accountability through executive and legislative oversight.
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