Tinubu's US Lawsuit Clarified as Civil Matter by Presidency

The Nigerian Presidency has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not facing a criminal case in the United States, but is involved in a civil records-disclosure dispute under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This clarification was made by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, following a lawsuit filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

The lawsuit, Civil Action No. 23-1816, was initiated in 2023 after Greenspan filed FOIA requests in 2022. Tinubu was permitted to join the proceedings as an intervenor.

The Central Intelligence Agency, Executive Office for United States Attorneys, Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and Internal Revenue Service have been removed from the case after receiving summary judgment. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration remain involved and have produced 399 pages of records, some of which are redacted for various legal protections.