President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declined to sign the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill, 2025, into law. The President’s decision, announced today, June 26, 2025, stems from concerns that certain provisions within the bill conflict with the 1999 Constitution.
The rejected NDLEA Amendment Bill, 2025, aimed to grant Nigeria’s anti-drug agency the authority to retain a portion of seized proceeds from drug-related crimes. Proponents of the bill argued that this measure would enhance the NDLEA’s operational funding and reduce its reliance on the government’s budgetary allocations.
However, President Tinubu rejected the bill, citing Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution. This constitutional provision mandates that all proceeds from crime must be deposited into a centralized account. Furthermore, it stipulates that any disbursements from such an account require oversight and approval from both the President and the National Assembly, ensuring a system of checks and balances.
The President’s rejection underscores his commitment to constitutional adherence and financial accountability within government agencies. The decision means that the NDLEA will continue to operate under the existing framework, where all recovered proceeds are remitted to the central Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account, with disbursements subject to established presidential and legislative oversight.
