Tinubu Asks US Court to Block Release of FBI, DEA Files Over Drug Allegations.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked a United States federal court to stop the further release of records held by the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) relating to historical investigations involving him.
The request was contained in a 16-page filing submitted by Tinubu’s legal team before the US District Court for the District of Columbia. His lawyers argued that releasing the records could violate the President’s privacy rights under American law.
The documents are being sought by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against several US government agencies. Greenspan is seeking records connected to investigations involving Tinubu, including what he describes as the FBI’s complete file on the Nigerian president and FBI Form 302 interview records covering 1992 and 1993.
The case also involves records connected to a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding in the United States involving approximately $460,000 associated with Tinubu. The issue has attracted considerable public attention because of longstanding allegations concerning a possible investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering in the early 1990s.
However, it is important to distinguish allegations from established facts. The FOIA litigation has not found Tinubu guilty of drug trafficking, and he has consistently denied wrongdoing. The court is primarily considering whether government agencies can legally withhold or redact records under exemptions contained in US law.
Tinubu’s lawyers relied on privacy protections, including provisions of the FOIA that protect law-enforcement records when their disclosure could constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. They argued that the fact that some information may have appeared in earlier public court proceedings does not automatically remove Tinubu’s privacy interest in confidential investigative files.
The dispute has been ongoing for several years. Greenspan’s FOIA requests date back to 2022 and 2023. In April 2025, US District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA could not continue relying on “Glomar” responses to simply refuse to confirm or deny the existence of requested records. The ruling required the agencies to process records that were not legally exempt from disclosure.
More recently, the FBI asked the court for permission to provide sensitive information privately and under seal to explain why portions of the records should remain confidential. The agency cited concerns involving privacy, confidential sources, investigative techniques and potential risks to individuals.
My View
In my view, the case deserves to be handled strictly through the law rather than political arguments. Nigerians have a legitimate interest in transparency concerning anyone who occupies the highest political office in the country. At the same time, allegations should never be presented as convictions, particularly when a court has not established criminal wrongdoing.
The best outcome would be for the US court to carefully separate genuinely sensitive information from material that can legally be made public. If records can be released without compromising legitimate privacy, confidential sources or law-enforcement methods, transparency should be encouraged.
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Ultimately, the credibility of both the Nigerian presidency and the US justice system will be better served by a clear, evidence-based judicial decision rather than speculation, political propaganda or selective leaks.
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Sources: The Guardian Nigeria; Anadolu Agency; International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR); TheCable.
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