Senate Asked To Provide Explanation Over Reversal of Proceeds of Crime Bill
- A coalition of civil society groups raised alarm over the Senate's decision to rescind its July 9, 2026 passage of the Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill
- The groups, speaking through Barrister Chukwu Vincent, said the Bill passed through 51 clauses and full legislative scrutiny before the surprise reversal
- The coalition also flagged reports that Senate President Godswill Akpabio may have influenced the Senate Leader to move the rescission motion
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A coalition of civil society groups has called on the Nigerian Senate to publicly account for its decision to reverse the passage of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, warning that the unexplained reversal risks undermining the country's anti-corruption credibility.
In a statement sighted by Legit.ng on Tuesday, August 25, signed by Barrister Chukwu Vincent and dated August 25, 2026, the groups said the Senate's rescission of the Bill, which it had passed on July 9, 2026, raises urgent questions that require transparent answers from the leadership of the National Assembly.
Source: Twitter
Why the reversal has raised red flags
The coalition pointed out that the Bill had gone through a rigorous legislative process before it was approved, covering first and second readings, committee review, a public hearing that drew memoranda from 22 organisations and individuals, including the EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA, DSS, the Nigerian Bar Association, SERAP, PLAC and CISLAC, followed by a clause-by-clause consideration of all 51 provisions and a third reading.
"We are concerned that a Bill which underwent such extensive scrutiny and stakeholder engagement, and which was subsequently passed by the Senate, could be rescinded only after the completion of the legislative process without the specific legal, policy or drafting concerns being made sufficiently clear to the Nigerian public," Barrister Chukwu said.
The groups also raised concern over reports suggesting that Senate President Godswill Akpabio may have influenced Senate Leader Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele to move the rescission motion. While stressing that the allegation should not be treated as established fact, the coalition said it warranted a clear and public response given the significance of the legislation.
The coalition further noted that Senator Bamidele himself sat on the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters that scrutinised the Bill and recommended the creation of a standalone Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Agency.
The proposed body would have been tasked with tracing, recovering, preserving, managing and disposing of assets linked to unlawful activity.
What the groups are demanding
The coalition is not calling for the legislative process to be bypassed, but for accountability.
"If there are genuine constitutional, legal, drafting or policy defects in the Bill, Nigerians deserve to know precisely what those defects are and why they could not be addressed through amendments before the Bill was passed," Chukwu said.
The groups urged the Senate President, the Senate Leader and the broader National Assembly leadership to release the specific legal and policy grounds for the reversal and to resume consideration of the Bill without delay.
They argued that Nigeria's fragmented institutional approach to managing recovered assets makes the proposed agency particularly necessary.
"Nigeria's fight against corruption cannot afford institutional uncertainty or decisions that create doubts about the management of recovered assets," Chukwu said. "What Nigerians cannot afford is for a potentially important anti-corruption reform to be stalled without clear explanations."
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the legislative process and engaging with relevant stakeholders to ensure a credible and accountable proceeds-of-crime framework is eventually enacted.
Senate passes constitutional amendments to establish state police
Previously, Legit.ng reported that amid insecurity in Nigeria, the Senate finally passed constitutional amendment bills to establish state police in Nigeria, marking a significant step in the country's ongoing security reforms.
Imran Muhammad, the senior special assistant on new media to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed this via an X post on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng
