Tinubu's US FOIA Case Clarified as Civil, Not Criminal

The Presidency of Nigeria clarified that the ongoing Freedom of Information Act case involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a civil records-disclosure dispute and not a criminal case. The statement, issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, emphasized that there are no criminal charges or findings against Tinubu.

The case originated in 2022 when Aaron Greenspan submitted FOIA requests to US agencies for records related to Tinubu. The court allowed Tinubu to intervene in the case.

A letter from the American Consulate in Lagos in 2003 indicated no criminal records for Tinubu. The court granted summary judgment in favor of several agencies, while claims involving the FBI and DEA remain under consideration.

The FBI and DEA produced 399 pages of records, with some portions redacted, which the plaintiff has challenged.