The Nigerian Presidency has strongly rebuffed the significance of a U.S. federal court ruling ordering American law enforcement agencies to release documents related to President Bola Tinubu, characterizing the development as a rehash of decades-old information.
In an official statement, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga asserted: “These reports by Agent Moss of the FBI and the DEA have been in the public domain for over 30 years. They contain no indictments or criminal charges against President Tinubu. Our legal team is currently reviewing the court’s decision.”
The response comes after Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled on April 8 that the FBI and DEA must disclose non-exempt records concerning historical investigations involving Tinubu. The decision stems from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by American researcher Aaron Greenspan, who sought documents related to the President’s alleged connections to a 1990s drug trafficking case.
Key aspects of the ruling:
- Judge Howell noted both agencies “officially confirmed investigations of Tinubu”
- Rejected the FBI and DEA’s previous refusals to confirm/deny record existence
- Granted the CIA continued exemption from disclosure
- Set May 2 deadline for status report on document processing
The Presidency maintains the documents, when released, will reveal nothing new about Tinubu’s past. “This is political noise attempting to distract from the administration’s transformative agenda,” Onanuga added, citing ongoing economic reforms and security initiatives.
Legal analysts suggest the court order revives long-standing questions about Tinubu’s background just as Nigeria prepares for 2027 election campaigns. The opposition has called for full transparency, while the ruling All Progressives Congress dismisses the matter as opposition propaganda.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja declined comment on the developing story when contacted by our correspondents. The released documents could become public as early as June, according to court filings.
