FBI, DEA Say Tinubu Records Not Ready, Seek More Time

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have said their search for records related to a past investigation involving Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still ongoing. Both U.S. agencies disclosed in a joint status report that they need up to 90 days to complete the process and plan to submit a report to the court on or before July 31.

This development comes after a U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ordered the FBI and DEA to release documents related to a 1990s drug investigation that allegedly involved Tinubu and others. The order followed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by American activist Aaron Greenspan. Judge Beryl Howell had ruled on April 8 that the agencies must comply with the request, dismissing their attempt to use the “Glomar response,” a legal tactic that allows agencies to neither confirm nor deny the existence of records.

In the newly filed joint report, Greenspan, U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., and Assistant Attorney M. Jared Littman acknowledged that the records are not yet ready. Greenspan challenged the 90-day timeline, arguing that many of the documents had already been identified and urging that unredacted versions be released immediately, with the rest made available within two weeks. He criticized the agencies for offering no explanation for the delay and stated his intention to request reimbursement for filing and postage costs totaling \$440.22.

While the agencies proposed July 31 for the next update to the court, Greenspan is pushing for a May 31 deadline instead. The Presidency has downplayed the significance of the records, with Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga stating that the documents date back 30 years and contain nothing new.