In a significant legal development, a United States federal judge has mandated the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to disclose investigative records pertaining to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This directive stems from a purported narcotics trafficking investigation dating back to the 1990s.
Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the order on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by American transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan, who had submitted 12 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests between 2022 and 2023. These requests sought information on a Chicago-based heroin trafficking network allegedly involving Tinubu and associates such as Abiodun Agbele, Mueez Akande, and Lee Andrew Edwards .
Initially, the FBI and DEA issued “Glomar responses,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of the requested records. Judge Howell deemed these responses “neither logical nor plausible,” stating that the agencies failed to justify their refusals under FOIA. Consequently, the court ordered both agencies to search for and process non-exempt records related to the investigation .
The court’s decision also referenced a 1993 civil forfeiture case where Tinubu reportedly forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government. The funds were alleged to be proceeds from narcotics trafficking, although Tinubu was not criminally charged. An affidavit by IRS Special Agent Kevin Moss detailed the operations of a heroin ring in the Chicago area, linking Tinubu to the network .
While the FBI and DEA are compelled to release the records, the court upheld the CIA’s “Glomar response,” allowing it to withhold information due to national security considerations. The involved parties are required to submit a joint status report by May 2, 2025, outlining any outstanding issues in the case .
Reacting to the ruling, Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for the Nigerian presidency, dismissed the court order as “mischievous and politically mechanized nonsense,” suggesting it was part of a broader opposition strategy .
This unfolding situation is poised to have significant implications for President Tinubu’s administration, both domestically and internationally, as further details emerge from the released documents.
