Washington, D.C. — A United States District Court don order make Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) release records about President Bola Tinubu wey involve alleged drug trafficking investigation. Judge Beryl Howell give di ruling on April 8, 2025, after American activist Aaron Greenspan sue dem under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Greenspan, di founder of transparency platform PlainSite, file 12 FOIA requests wey cover investigations into drug ring for Chicago wey dey operate in di early 1990s. Dem include records on Tinubu alongside Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele, all wey dey link to di investigation.
Di FBI and DEA before dis time respond with “Glomar responses,” wey mean say dem no confirm or deny if di records exist, but Judge Howell rule say dat response no make sense for dis case. She say di agencies must find di records and process any non-exempt ones.
In di judgement, di court talk say, “Di FBI and DEA don officially confirm investigations of Tinubu over drug trafficking matter. Any privacy interest involved wey fit block di FOIA request no fit compare to di public interest wey dey demand for release of di information.”
Judge Howell explain say di Glomar responses use of di FBI and DEA be improper. She stress say di agencies no show any reason wey fit justify dem withholding di information from di public. Di court agree to maintain di CIA Glomar response after Greenspan accept say CIA don acknowledge di existence of related records.
In his earlier complaints, Greenspan accuse di agencies of denying his requests without good reason, especially since investigation of Tinubu was already public. He say di agencies’ refusal run against di public’s right to know, especially considering di serious allegations of drug trafficking.
Judge Howell’s ruling part of di ongoing legal battle wey bring Tinubu’s past to di forefront again, especially in di wake of opposition’s challenges during di 2023 presidential election. In di past, Tinubu forfeit $460,000 to di American government after authorities link di funds to narcotics trafficking, though he never face any charges.
“Di investment being used today on our agricultural industry for sustainability dey grow,” Greenspan say in a statement. “I believe di public has right to know everything wey dey connect to federal investigations, and dis ruling go help clear di air around Tinubu.”
Di court don give di FBI and DEA until May 2, 2025, to update dem on di status of any records wey dem fit find. Dis ruling dey put extra pressure on di Nigerian president, who don maintain say he no do anything wrong.
Di Nigerian Supreme Court don also rule say di forfeiture issue no disqualify Tinubu from contesting di presidency, but di stories around his past still dey affect his public perception.
