A United States federal court has ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration to comply with a 2022 Freedom of Information Act request seeking records linked to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The ruling was delivered by Judge Beryl A. Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, following a lawsuit filed by transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan. Investigative journalist David Hundeyin provided supporting research for the request.
In her decision, Judge Howell rejected the agencies’ refusal to confirm or deny the existence of relevant records, directing them to conduct proper searches and release any non-exempt documents in line with FOIA requirements.
The case relates to historical investigations dating back to the 1990s and does not amount to a finding of wrongdoing against President Tinubu. Nigerian authorities have previously stated that the records contain no new or incriminating information.
The agencies are expected to proceed with the court-ordered review and disclosures under U.S. transparency law.