The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have requested a 90-day extension from a U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to complete their search for records related to a decades-old drug case allegedly linked to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The agencies were initially expected to release the documents today, following a court order stemming from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by U.S. transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan.
Previously, both agencies issued a “Glomar response,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of the records. However, the court ruled that continued secrecy was “neither logical nor plausible,” especially since some case details have been public since the 1990s.
Greenspan filed the FOIA lawsuit in June 2023, targeting multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), State Department, CIA, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Illinois and Indiana. His request sought documents on four individuals allegedly connected to a 1990s drug trafficking and money laundering operation in Chicago: Bola Tinubu, Mueez Akande, Lee Andrew Edwards, and Abiodun Agbele.
While some asset forfeiture records have been public for years, the agencies resisted full disclosure. Judge Beryl Howell eventually ordered the release, stating the secrecy claims no longer held merit.
In a joint status report filed Thursday and signed by Greenspan, U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., and Assistant Attorney M. Jared Littman, the agencies said their searches were underway but incomplete.
“The FBI and DEA have initiated their searches for responsive, non-exempt, reasonably segregable portions of records requested by the plaintiff and anticipate completing their searches within 90 days,” the filing stated.
However, Greenspan objected to the timeline, arguing that the delay was unnecessary given the age of the case and the fact that many documents had already been identified. He proposed that unredacted versions of known documents be released within a week and that all remaining records be produced within 14 days. He also indicated plans to request reimbursement of $440.22 in legal filing and mailing costs.
The FBI and DEA suggested submitting another joint status report by July 31, 2025, while Greenspan recommended a May 31, 2025 deadline instead.
Presidency, APC Dismiss Concerns: “No Indictment, No Surprise”
Reacting to the development, the Nigerian Presidency insisted that the documents would not contain any revelations that could undermine President Tinubu.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said key documents—such as FBI agent Kevin Moss’s reports—have been in the public domain for over 30 years and do not indict Tinubu.
“There is nothing new to reveal,” Onanuga stated. “These reports have been accessible for decades and do not implicate the President in any wrongdoing.”
Tinubu’s U.S.-based legal team, including Babatunde Ogala, SAN, and Attorney Afolabi, echoed this position, noting that Tinubu has freely traveled in and out of the United States since 1994—suggesting no legal obstacles exist.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also downplayed the issue. Senator Ajibola Basiru, APC National Secretary, emphasized that no document release—regardless of its content—has constitutional implications for Tinubu’s presidency.
“No one can be removed from office except in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution,” Basiru said, dismissing the opposition’s concerns as “political melodrama.”
