A U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., has ordered federal law enforcement agencies to release certain documents connected to a past investigation involving Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Beryl Howell on Tuesday, mandates the FBI and DEA to provide access to records linked to a 1990s drug trafficking probe.
This court decision follows a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed in June 2023 by American citizen Aaron Greenspan. He had accused several U.S. agencies—namely the FBI, CIA, IRS, DEA, and State Department—of failing to release information related to the alleged investigation involving Tinubu.
Greenspan’s FOIA requests, submitted in 2022 and 2023, focused on a joint investigation reportedly involving Tinubu and three others—Abiodun Agbele, Lee Andrew Edwards, and Mueez Abegboyega Akande—who were allegedly connected to a heroin distribution ring.
The agencies initially responded with “Glomar” replies, meaning they refused to confirm or deny the existence of such records. Greenspan contested this position, arguing the public had a right to the information.
Judge Howell found that stance by the FBI and DEA to be unconvincing, especially since they had previously acknowledged aspects of their investigations. However, the judge upheld the CIA’s refusal to release documents, citing the agency’s lack of formal recognition of any such materials.
The case also references a 1993 civil forfeiture case where Tinubu forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government, a sum allegedly tied to drug trafficking profits. This issue was revisited during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, although the election tribunal ultimately confirmed Tinubu’s win despite the controversy.
Among the documents Greenspan submitted were details of a DEA investigation that allegedly connected Tinubu’s bank accounts to drug-related funds through statements made by Abiodun Agbele.
Following the ruling, the FBI and DEA are now expected to release related documents, excluding those under the CIA’s control, and must report any pending issues to the court by May 2.
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