FBI seeks secrecy on Tinubu records dispute

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a United States court to allow it to withhold certain records linked to an old investigation involving President Bola Tinubu, citing the need to protect law‑enforcement methods and safeguard individuals.

In a motion filed on 20 August at the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the FBI requested permission to privately provide the judge with additional details supporting its decision to block parts of the records from public release. The agency said the explanation should be submitted ex parte and in camera, meaning directly to the judge, without being made part of the public record.

The bureau argued that a public justification would risk exposing sensitive investigative techniques and could endanger individuals. It noted that some withheld material related to law‑enforcement procedures, while other sections could compromise personal safety.

The filing was publicised on X by Von Batten‑Montague‑York, a Washington‑based lobbying firm recently retained by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.

The dispute stems from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests seeking FBI records connected to Tinubu, including interview reports (Form 302s) from a 1992–93 heroin trafficking case in Chicago. The FBI said it had applied exemptions under FOIA to protect privacy, confidential sources, investigative methods, and safety.

The case was brought by Aaron Greenspan, founder of PlainSite, who submitted 12 FOIA requests to six federal agencies between 2022 and 2023. Several agencies initially issued “Glomar responses”, refusing to confirm or deny the existence of records. In April 2025, Judge Beryl Howell ruled against the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s continued use of that tactic, finding insufficient legal grounds for concealing whether records existed.

The latest FBI application comes amid ongoing litigation. The Justice Department had sought a 10‑day extension to respond to a court order, but Judge Howell granted only four additional days, setting 21 August as the deadline. Tinubu’s lawyers supported the request for more time, but the judge rejected the longer extension. The FBI now wants to provide the court, behind closed doors, with its fuller justification for retaining portions of the records, particularly information it says could reveal investigative practices or place individuals at risk.