President Bola Tinubu has declined to sign the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill 2025 into law.

In a letter addressed to the House of Representatives and read on the floor by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the President cited constitutional and transparency concerns for withholding assent.

The President, referencing Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), explained that the bill seeks to empower the NDLEA to retain a portion of proceeds from drug-related crimes, a move he said contradicts existing financial regulations.

He noted 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.

The President maintained there was no compelling reason to alter a process designed to uphold accountability through executive and legislative oversight.