Breaking: Presidency Reacts as FBI Releases Its Document on Investigation of Tinubu
- The presidency issued a statement clarifying the nature of a Freedom of Information Act case before a US federal court involving President Bola Tinubu
- The FBI and DEA produced 399 pages of records with redactions, and the court had yet to rule on whether those redactions are lawful
- The Plaintiff was given until September 11, 2026, to file any opposition, with the FBI, DEA and Tinubu's legal team allowed until September 18, 2026, to respond
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The presidency has moved to address what it described as speculative media reports surrounding an ongoing civil case before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, insisting the proceedings are not a criminal action against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued the clarification on September 3, 2026, outlining the origins, current status, and legal framework of the case.
Source: Twitter
Tinubu vs FBI: How the FOIA case began
The case traces back to 2022, when Aaron Greenspan filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with several US government agencies, seeking records related to President Tinubu. The presidency described Greenspan as someone known to work with Nigerian opposition figures, including journalist David Hundeyin and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
After the agencies withheld certain records or declined to confirm or deny their existence, Greenspan filed Civil Action No. 23-1816 before the US District Court for the District of Columbia in 2023. The court later allowed President Tinubu to join the proceedings as an intervenor.
Several agencies, including the CIA, the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, and the Internal Revenue Service, successfully argued a "Glomar defence" and were removed from the case. This is a standard legal position where a government agency neither confirms nor denies the existence of an investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration remained in the proceedings.
Where the FBI and DEA case stands now
In compliance with the court's orders, the FBI and DEA released 399 pages of documents, with portions redacted under US law. Greenspan challenged those redactions, but the FBI and DEA, through the US Department of Justice, pushed back, citing five legal grounds: grand jury secrecy rules, attorney-client privilege, law enforcement preparation purposes, personal privacy protections, and the risk of exposing confidential sources or investigative techniques.
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President Tinubu has also invoked FOIA Exemption 7(C), which protects personal privacy in law enforcement records, on the advice of his legal team.
The next court deadline falls on September 11, 2026, when the Plaintiff must file any opposition. The FBI, DEA, and Tinubu's legal team then have until September 18, 2026, to respond.
The presidency also addressed recent commentary from Karl von Batten, saying he and his client have no formal standing in the case. "Neither is a party to the case," the statement noted.
Read the presidency's full statement on X below:
Why FBI is forced to release its investigation
The case started gaining traction ahead of Nigeria's 2027 presidential election, where Tinubu is seeking a re-election to the presidency. It was alleged that Tinubu's major opposition, Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had paid millions of dollars to a US lobbying firm to push the FBI to release the details to the public.
In her reaction, Titilope Anifowoshe, a legal practitioner and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, expressed concerns about Atiku's move and the money being spent. She said:
"Atiku is entitled to pursue whatever legal or political strategy he considers necessary. But when a Nigerian politician spends $1.2 million on a Washington lobbying firm to dig into the historical records of another Nigerian politician, I think Nigerians are justified in asking: what exactly is the objective, and what does it say about the politics we are building? The reported 12-month lobbying contract is on record under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act."
FBI document shows Tinubu's date of birth
Legit.ng earlier reported that a 2003 letter from a US Embassy legal attaché addressed Bola Tinubu's criminal records after an inquiry from Nigeria's then Inspector General of Police.
The FBI's National Crime Information Centre returned no criminal arrest records, wants, or warrants for Tinubu under the date of birth listed in the document.
Activist Reno Omokri shared the document on X, drawing attention to the date of birth recorded for President Tinubu.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
