posted 13th April 2025
US Court Orders FBI and DEA to Release Records on Nigeria’s President Tinubu
Washington DC, 13 April 2025
A US District Court in Washington DC has ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to disclose records related to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, following a legal challenge by American citizen Aaron Greenspan.
Judge Beryl Howell, in a ruling on Tuesday, declared the agencies’ refusal to release the documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as “neither logical nor plausible.” Greenspan had accused the FBI and DEA of violating FOIA by withholding information about alleged federal investigations into Tinubu and Abiodun Agbele, a known associate.
The case stems from a 1993 incident in which Tinubu forfeited $460,000 to the US government, funds authorities linked to narcotics trafficking. The forfeiture became a focal point during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, when opponents Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi challenged Tinubu’s eligibility, citing the incident. Nigeria’s election court dismissed their suits, upholding Tinubu’s victory.
Greenspan’s motion sought reconsideration of an earlier ruling, arguing that the agencies’ use of “Glomar” responses—neither confirming nor denying the existence of records—was improper. Judge Howell agreed, stating that the FBI and DEA failed to justify their stance under FOIA exemptions. She noted that both agencies had previously acknowledged investigations involving Tinubu and Agbele, undermining their claim to withhold information.
Howell further explained that Greenspan’s challenge rested on two grounds: questioning the agencies’ assertion that disclosure would cause harm under FOIA exemptions, and proving that prior official acknowledgments of the investigations waived the agencies’ right to withhold records. The judge ruled that the public interest in releasing the information outweighed any privacy concerns.
The court’s decision marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of Tinubu’s past, with the ordered release of records potentially shedding new light on his ties to US investigations. The FBI and DEA are now required to comply with the ruling, though the exact timeline for the release remains unclear.
