WASHINGTON, USA – The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled that several top U.S. law enforcement agencies must release confidential records concerning President Bola Tinubu, stemming from a purported federal investigation in the 1990s.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Beryl Howell on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, marks a significant development in the long-running legal battle over the release of information about the Nigerian leader’s past, particularly related to alleged involvement in a Chicago-based drug trafficking ring.
Aaron Greenspan, an American citizen, filed a lawsuit in June 2023 under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), demanding the release of documents related to investigations by several U.S. agencies, including the FBI, DEA, CIA, IRS, and the Department of State.
Greenspan alleged that the agencies had violated FOIA by failing to disclose documents related to their investigations into Bola Tinubu and Abiodun Agbele, one of the alleged associates in the drug ring.
Specifically, Greenspan sought criminal investigative records about four individuals believed to be involved in the narcotics operation that ran through Chicago in the early 1990s.
In his ruling, Judge Howell sided with Greenspan, dismissing the “Glomar” responses from the FBI and DEA, which had previously refused to confirm or deny the existence of the records.
Judge Howell stated that the claims made by the FBI and DEA, regarding the need to withhold the information to protect public interest, were “neither logical nor plausible” given that it had already been acknowledged that Tinubu was the subject of an investigation by these agencies.
He further emphasised that the agencies had failed to properly invoke exemptions under FOIA.
Greenspan’s case revolves around the civil forfeiture of $460,000 by Tinubu in 1993, which U.S. authorities claimed was linked to narcotics trafficking.
The issue of the forfeiture came into focus during Tinubu’s 2023 election campaign, when his political opponents, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, challenged his eligibility.
However, the Nigerian courts dismissed the suits, affirming Tinubu’s victory in the election.
The documents that Greenspan requested relate to the investigation of Agbele, a key figure in the drug ring, and his links to Tinubu.
According to an affidavit from IRS Special Agent Kevin Moss, Agbele was arrested while attempting to sell heroin to an undercover officer.
The affidavit also stated that Agbele had links to Tinubu through Mueez Abegboyega Akande, who was allegedly connected to the President.
In his court filing, Greenspan argued that the release of the requested records was essential to understanding the full scope of the investigation, asserting that the public’s interest outweighed any privacy concerns that could be raised by releasing the documents.
However, the CIA’s response was upheld by Judge Howell, as Greenspan failed to demonstrate that the agency had ever officially acknowledged the existence of relevant records.
As a result, the CIA’s “Glomar” response, refusing to confirm or deny the existence of records, remains in place.
The court’s decision represents a partial victory for Greenspan.
He has now narrowed his request to focus specifically on documents related to Tinubu and Agbele, with further legal proceedings expected as the case progresses.
The U.S. government agencies involved in the lawsuit have been ordered to file a joint report on the status of the case by Friday, May 2, 2025.
