Tinubu Faces Legal Battle Over Drug Trafficking Allegations

President Bola Tinubu is embroiled in a legal battle concerning allegations of drug trafficking, with the case extending over three years. American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan filed 12 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from 2022 to 2023 with six U.S. federal agencies, seeking documents related to a Chicago heroin ring from the early 1990s, which included individuals such as Lee Andrew Edwards and Mueez Abegboyega Akande.

Five agencies responded with Glomar responses, refusing to confirm or deny the existence of the records. Greenspan escalated the matter to the Department of Justice and subsequently filed a lawsuit on June 12, 2023, against the FBI, DEA, IRS, and others.

In April 2025, Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA's Glomar responses were improper, stating that Tinubu did not have a recognizable privacy interest in the investigation. Tinubu's legal team, including Christopher W. Carmichael, Victor P. Henderson, and Oluwole O. Afolabi, argued against the release of records citing privacy rights.

The FBI later sought to submit a sealed declaration regarding withheld records, with a deadline set for August 21, 2026.