By Ikenna Osuoha
President Bola Tinubu has declined to sign the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, recently passed by the National Assembly, citing constitutional inconsistencies.
The bill sought to empower the NDLEA to retain a portion of proceeds recovered from drug-related crimes, a proposal the President deemed incompatible with existing legal provisions.
The decision was formally conveyed to the House of Representatives and read during Thursday’s plenary by the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas.
President Tinubu, invoking Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, explained that the proposed amendment conflicts with the current statutory framework governing the handling of proceeds from criminal activities.
According to the President, all such proceeds must be paid into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account, in accordance with existing law.
Any subsequent disbursement to enforcement agencies, he added, could only be made upon presidential approval, with the consent of both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
By rejecting the bill, President Tinubu reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to upholding transparency, accountability, and adherence to constitutional protocols in the management of public and recovered assets.
Source; PM News
