Tinubu Records Request Delayed 90 Days as U.S. law enforcement agencies seek an extension to complete their search for documents related to President Tinubu’s alleged involvement in a 1990s drug investigation.
The FBI and DEA request more time to finalize their findings, despite a court order for submission by May 2.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have jointly asked for an additional 90 days to finalize their search for investigative documents concerning Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This request is connected to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by Aaron Greenspan, a U.S. citizen and advocate for government transparency.
Greenspan is requesting access to files linked to a drug investigation from the 1990s, in which President Tinubu was allegedly involved.
On April 8, Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected the FBI and DEA’s use of the “Glomar response”—a legal argument that would have allowed them to refuse to confirm or deny whether the documents exist.
The judge was not persuaded by their justification for secrecy and ordered the agencies to move forward with their search.
Greenspan has opposed the requested 90-day delay and instead recommends that the agencies receive no more than 14 extra days to comply with the court’s ruling.
In spite of his objection, a joint status update filed by U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr. and Assistant Attorney M. Jared Littman confirms that the search is underway and is expected to take up to three additional months to identify and review all relevant, releasable records.
The statement included the following argument from Greenspan:
“Due to the lengthy delays already caused by the defendants and the fact that many relevant documents have already been found, the plaintiff asks that the FBI and DEA finish their searches and provide the materials by next week. At the very least, they should deliver unedited copies of the already-identified documents immediately, and complete the remaining work within 14 days.”
The plaintiff further stated:
“The defendants have not offered any explanation as to why they need 90 days for this process.”
Greenspan also announced plans to request reimbursement for his expenses, which include a $402 filing fee and $38.22 in Certified Mail postage, adding up to a total of $440.22.
Lastly, both parties proposed different timelines for the next court update. The defendants suggested a joint status report be filed by July 31, 2025, while the plaintiff recommended submitting the report by May 31, 2025.
