Eric Patrick
President Bola Tinubu has declined to assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill, 2025, citing concerns over a controversial clause related to the retention of proceeds from drug-related crimes.
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 on Thursday during plenary.
Invoking Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Tinubu explained that the bill, as passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, sought to grant the NDLEA the authority to retain a portion of funds recovered from drug-related offences—a provision he said runs counter to existing financial and accountability frameworks.
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He clarified that, 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 insisted there was no justification to change a process specifically designed to ensure transparency, executive oversight, and legislative scrutiny in the management of recovered assets.