The Nigerian Presidency has responded to a ruling by a U.S. federal court compelling the FBI and DEA to release documents related to past investigations involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the agencies to search for and disclose non-exempt documents tied to Tinubu.
This directive stems from a 2023 FOIA lawsuit by U.S. citizen Aaron Greenspan.
The court concluded that privacy concerns were insufficient to block the release, especially as public interest outweighed those concerns.
The ruling cited prior confirmation from both agencies that Tinubu was investigated in the 1990s in connection to a drug trafficking operation.
It also referenced a 1993 forfeiture of $460,000 by Tinubu to the U.S. government.
In reaction, the Presidency dismissed the development as a politically motivated distraction ahead of the 2027 elections.
Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala criticized the opposition on social media, calling the matter a “mischievous and politically mechanized nonsense” designed to maintain relevance and mislead the public.
