Concerns over legal and policy inconsistencies have forced the Senate to reverse its earlier approval of the Proceeds of Crime Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, with lawmakers opting for further review before the legislation proceeds.
The decision was taken after senators unanimously adopted a motion moved by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who said drafting, legal and policy issues were discovered after the bill was passed on July 9.
Bamidele said the identified flaws were significant enough to affect the effective implementation of the proposed law if left unresolved.
He said revisiting the bill would allow lawmakers to address the concerns and ensure the legislation aligns with Nigeria’s constitutional framework and international standards on asset recovery and proceeds of crime management.
The move briefly sparked a procedural debate after Senator Yahaya Abdullahi questioned whether the motion was properly listed on the supplementary order paper.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio ruled that the motion was validly presented under the Senate’s standing orders, while Abdullahi later supported the review, describing it as being in the national interest.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said identifying and correcting weaknesses before a bill becomes law reflects legislative diligence, while other lawmakers backed the decision.
Following a voice vote, the Senate rescinded its earlier passage of the bill and directed that it should not be forwarded to the House of Representatives until the review process is concluded.
Sponsored by Senator Idiat Adebule, the proposed legislation seeks to establish an independent proceeds of crime recovery and management agency responsible for overseeing the recovery, preservation and disposal of assets suspected to have been acquired through illegal activities.
