President Bola Tinubu has declined to assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, which was recently passed by the National Assembly.
The decision was announced during a plenary session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, June 26, 2025, by Speaker Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
The proposed bill sought to amend the NDLEA Act to allow the agency to retain a portion of the proceeds from drug-related crimes, a provision that deviates from the current legal framework. In his communication to the House, President Tinubu cited Section 58, Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution, stating that the bill’s provisions contravene existing laws.
Under the current legal framework, all proceeds from criminal activities, including those related to drug offenses, must be deposited into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. President Tinubu emphasized that any disbursement of such funds to relevant agencies, including the NDLEA, requires presidential authorization and must be approved by both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
The President’s decision underscores his commitment to upholding constitutional provisions and maintaining the integrity of the legal process governing the handling of proceeds from criminal activities.
