FBI Warns Release of Tinubu’s Drugs Deals Records Could Put Lives at Risk

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned that releasing some records relating to President Bola Tinubu could endanger the lives or physical safety of individuals.

The agency is asking a US court for permission to privately explain why certain records have been withheld.

The FBI made the request in an application filed before the US District Court for the District of Columbia on August 20.

It wants to submit a confidential declaration explaining its position to the judge.

According to the agency, publicly disclosing the full reasons for withholding some of the documents could expose sensitive law-enforcement techniques and procedures.

The FBI is therefore seeking permission to file an ex parte, in camera declaration, allowing it to present its explanation privately and under seal.

The records are being sought by Aaron Greenspan, founder of PlainSite, through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests concerning Tinubu from 1992 and 1993.

Among the documents requested are Tinubu’s complete FBI file and interview records connected to an FBI investigation.

The FBI said it relied on several FOIA exemptions to withhold parts of the records.

These include exemptions relating to personal privacy, confidential sources, law-enforcement techniques and information that could endanger an individual’s life or physical safety.

The agency said it could not publicly provide the full basis for invoking certain exemptions.

It specifically cited Exemptions 7(E) and 7(F), arguing that a confidential, sealed submission was necessary.

The FBI said it would submit the confidential declaration by August 28 if the court grants its application.

The development is the latest in a long-running legal battle over US government records concerning allegations linked to Tinubu and a Chicago drug investigation dating back to the early 1990s.

The dispute began after Greenspan submitted multiple FOIA requests to six US federal agencies.

The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other agencies initially refused to confirm or deny whether some of the requested records existed.

However, in April 2025, Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA had not sufficiently justified their refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records concerning Tinubu.

She subsequently ordered the agencies to lift their so-called “Glomar” responses.

The latest application comes as the US Department of Justice continues to respond to court orders relating to the records.

Tinubu’s legal team had also requested additional time to respond to the case.

However, Judge Howell reportedly rejected the request for a 10-day extension.