BREAKING: US Court Directs FBI and Anti-Drug Agency to Release Tinubu’s Investigation Records
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has ordered US law enforcement agencies to release confidential information related to President Bola Tinubu’s involvement in a purported federal investigation in the 1990s.
Judge Beryl Howell, in a ruling on Tuesday, criticised the agencies’ use of “Glomar responses,” which refused to confirm or deny the existence of relevant records, labelling their reasoning as “neither logical nor plausible.”
The case was brought under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by Aaron Greenspan, who accused agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and IRS, of withholding documents related to Tinubu and a Chicago heroin ring investigation.
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Court addresses investigation links to drug trafficking
The court acknowledged that Tinubu was a subject of joint investigations by the FBI and DEA concerning money laundering linked to a heroin trafficking organisation in Chicago during the early 1990s.
Documents submitted by the plaintiff detailed evidence from investigations, including forfeiture of $460,000 by Tinubu in 1993 due to its alleged connection to proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
While Judge Howell ordered the FBI and DEA to lift their Glomar responses, the CIA was granted relief due to insufficient evidence of its acknowledgment of any responsive records.
Implications of the court ruling
The court’s decision mandates the release of Tinubu and Abiodun Agbele’s records while highlighting gaps in the agencies’ FOIA compliance.
The judge emphasised the public interest in transparency and noted that privacy concerns do not outweigh the need for disclosure in this case. A joint report from the remaining agencies, excluding the CIA, is expected by 2 May to clarify outstanding issues.
About Tinubu
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a prominent Nigerian politician, currently serving as the President of Nigeria. A former governor of Lagos State (1999–2007), he is believed by his followers to have transformed the state into an economic hub and is regarded as a key figure in Nigerian politics. A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu is known for his influence in shaping the party’s agenda and leadership. His presidency has sparked both support and criticism, with debates surrounding his policies and legacy.
Tinubu makes demand from court
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has told the Federal High Court in Abuja to throw out a suit seeking to compel the National Assembly to initiate his impeachment proceedings following an allegation of rights violations.
The president requested the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1334/2024 before the Federal High Court and filed by one legal practitioner, Olukoya Ogungbeje.
Ogungbeje filed the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, as the second defendant in his suit. He was asking the court to grant him six principal reliefs.
