A U.S. federal judge has ordered top law enforcement agencies to release confidential records involving President Bola Tinubu, linked to a reported federal investigation from the 1990s.
Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ruled that the FBI and DEA’s refusal to confirm or deny the existence of such documents was “neither logical nor plausible,” especially since Tinubu’s name was already acknowledged in prior investigations.
The order followed a 2023 lawsuit filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by American activist Aaron Greenspan. He had requested documents from six U.S. agencies, including the FBI, IRS, DEA, CIA, and State Department, regarding an alleged probe into a Chicago h+roin ring from the early ‘90s.
Greenspan’s FOIA requests sought records on Tinubu and three others allegedly tied to the case, including Abiodun Agbele. All agencies initially issued “Glomar responses,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of related files—a response the court has now rejected for some agencies.
The case gained attention after it was revealed that Tinubu had previously forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government in 1993 over funds allegedly linked to narcotics tr+fficking.
That forfeiture resurfaced during the 2023 presidential election petitions in Nigeria but was dismissed by the courts, affirming Tinubu’s eligibility.
Tinubu later tried to intervene in the U.S. case, citing privacy over tax and law enforcement records. But the court has now ruled that at least some information must be released.
The case is still unfolding, with broader implications for transparency and international accountability.
