President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, citing concerns over a clause that allows the agency to retain a portion of the proceeds recovered from drug-related crimes. The President’s decision was communicated in a letter read aloud during plenary at the House of Representatives on Thursday. Referring to Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Tinubu explained that the proposed provision contradicts existing financial regulations, which mandate that all proceeds of crime be paid into the federal government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. According to him, any disbursement to agencies such as the NDLEA must be approved by the President and subject to oversight by both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
The President emphasized that there was no compelling reason to deviate from a process specifically designed to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of recovered assets. He warned that allowing individual agencies to directly control the proceeds of crime could undermine financial discipline and weaken institutional oversight. The rejected clause has sparked debate among lawmakers and civil society stakeholders, with some calling for a redraft that balances operational autonomy for the NDLEA with stringent safeguards. Tinubu’s decision underscores his administration’s commitment to upholding due process in asset recovery and fiscal governance.
