The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill 2025 has hit a roadblock after President Bola Tinubu withheld his assent.
In a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives, the President’s decision not to sign the bill, despite its passage by both legislative chambers, was made known.
The President, referencing Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), said the proposed legislation would allow the NDLEA to retain a proportion of the proceeds derived from drug-related offences, which he believes contravene current financial regulations.
He pointed out that currently, all proceeds of crime are deposited into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account.
Tinubu stressed that disbursements to any recovery agency, including the NDLEA, require presidential approval, subject to the consent of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
In his view, there is no strong justification to change a process that ensures accountability through oversight by the executive and the legislature.
Details shortly…
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