Several U.S. government agencies, including the FBI, DEA, IRS, and the State Department, are expected to release documents related to historical investigations involving Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday, May 2, 2025, following a U.S. federal court order.
Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled earlier in April that these agencies must disclose any remaining records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The CIA was notably exempt from the joint filing but remains a party to the broader litigation.
The case stems from a FOIA lawsuit filed in 2023 by American transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan. He had requested records relating to alleged federal investigations in the 1990s into Tinubu and others allegedly associated with a drug trafficking network.
The requested records span multiple U.S. agencies, focusing on four individuals: Tinubu, Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele. Greenspan claims the agencies violated FOIA deadlines by not releasing the documents promptly.
Despite the court order, Nigerian authorities have downplayed the matter, with the Presidency asserting the information is not new and does not implicate President Tinubu in any wrongdoing. Legal analysts suggest the order may still be appealed, but for now, the release is scheduled.
