The ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation against Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria, has taken a significant turn as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) formally requested a 90-day extension to produce documents related to an alleged drug investigation dating back to the 1990s.
The request was filed on Thursday in a joint status report submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The agencies are seeking more time to locate and process records responsive to FOIA requests initiated by Aaron Greenspan, a legal transparency advocate and founder of the PlainSite platform.
The FOIA case, filed in July 2022, centers around demands for documents connected to an alleged Chicago-based drug ring. President Tinubu is named alongside three other individuals—Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.
The litigation has drawn international attention, not only for its implications regarding Tinubu’s past but also for its broader relevance to U.S. transparency laws and international accountability.
According to the court filing, “The FBI and DEA have initiated their searches for responsive, non-exempt, reasonably segregable portions of records requested by the plaintiff and anticipate completing their searches in ninety days.”
The court, led by Judge Beryl Howell, had previously ordered both agencies to provide a status update on their search and release of non-exempt documents by May 2, 2025. However, in the latest joint filing, the FBI and DEA argued they need more time to complete the process.
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Greenspan is strongly contesting the proposed delay, arguing that it is both unnecessary and unjustified given the prolonged nature of the case. “Given the years-long delay already caused by the defendants and the fact that many responsive documents have already been identified, the plaintiff proposes that the FBI and DEA complete their searches and productions by next week,” he stated.
He also suggested that unredacted versions of already-identified records should be released immediately, with the remaining files to follow within 14 days.
Greenspan further criticized the agencies’ lack of rationale for the lengthy extension, noting that the FOIA requests—submitted between 2022 and 2023—had already resulted in years of delays. Initially, the FBI and DEA had responded with “Glomar responses,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of relevant documents.
However, Judge Howell previously ruled that such responses were not acceptable, instructing the agencies to proceed with either full or partial disclosures where applicable.
This latest development follows a significant procedural victory for Greenspan. In a recent video update, he announced that Judge Howell had granted part of his motion for summary judgment, ruling that certain privacy exemptions previously cited by the government did not apply in this case.
The court held that a 1993 public investigation into Tinubu negated the privacy concerns the government attempted to use to block disclosure.
Greenspan has expressed optimism about the eventual release of the documents, believing that the public has a right to understand the scope of Tinubu’s past interactions with U.S. law enforcement agencies. He also thanked his legal colleague, David Hundine, for his vital support throughout the case and invited the public to engage by submitting questions or comments.
Disagreement remains over when the next status update should be submitted to the court. The FBI and DEA have proposed July 31, 2025, while Greenspan is pushing for an earlier date of May 31, citing the urgency of the matter and ongoing public interest. He has also requested reimbursement for filing and mailing costs totaling $440.22.
As the FOIA litigation against Bola Tinubu continues, the case stands as a landmark test of transparency and international accountability. With court-ordered disclosures pending and growing pressure for timely release, further developments are expected in the coming months.
