The Presidency has downplayed the significance of a recent U.S. court ruling ordering the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release files related to a decades-old drug investigation involving President Bola Tinubu.
On Sunday, the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., presided over by Judge Beryl Howell, directed both agencies to process and disclose non-exempt records connected to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan. The documents reportedly pertain to a drug trafficking ring in Chicago in the early 1990s, allegedly involving Tinubu and three others—Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.
The court ruled that the FBI and DEA had confirmed the existence of investigations into Tinubu and that the public interest outweighed any privacy concerns.
Reacting to the ruling, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the development, describing it as a rehash of old information.
“There is nothing new to be revealed,” Onanuga said. “The report by FBI Agent Kevin Moss and the DEA has been in the public domain for over 30 years. None of it implicates the President.”
Onanuga added that government lawyers were reviewing the ruling, but emphasized that it offers no fresh revelations.
Greenspan, who operates the transparency website PlainSite, filed 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023 regarding the Chicago drug case. Until now, the FBI and DEA had issued “Glomar responses”—refusing to confirm or deny the existence of relevant records. However, Judge Howell ruled these responses unjustified, stating the agencies had failed to establish any valid privacy claim.
The ruling reads:
> “Any privacy interests implicated by the FOIA requests... are overcome by the public interest. The FBI and DEA have provided no justification for keeping secret the fact that Tinubu was a subject of criminal investigation.”
While the FBI and DEA must now process relevant documents, the court upheld the CIA’s right to withhold records, citing valid exemptions under law.
All parties are expected to submit a joint status report by May 2, 2025.
Presidential aide on policy communications, Daniel Bwala, also downplayed the court ruling during an appearance on Channels Television.
“There’s nothing new in the ruling,” Bwala said. “Everything being sought has long been in the public domain. The opposition is simply trying to stir controversy where none exists.”
However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar welcomed the court order, calling it a significant step toward transparency and accountability. In a statement released through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku argued that if the disclosed documents confirm any wrongdoing, Tinubu should vacate the presidency.
“At the heart of this issue is integrity,” Atiku said. “Anyone occupying the highest office in the land must be above reproach. The Presidency must not be tainted.”
He reiterated his earlier concerns about Tinubu’s alleged involvement in the drug case and the controversy surrounding his academic records from Chicago State University.
“Nigerians deserve clarity and full disclosure about their leader’s background—his academic history, age, origin, and any past legal entanglements,” Atiku said.
He emphasized that his pursuit of the truth was rooted in national interest, not politics.
“The presidency of Nigeria is too important to be shrouded in uncertainty. This is not about partisanship. It’s about protecting the integrity of our democracy.”
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