The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a federal court for permission to privately present its reasons for withholding records related to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, warning that public disclosure could endanger lives.
In a four-page motion filed before U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, the FBI requested leave to submit confidential declarations *ex parte* (without the opposing party present) and *in camera* (privately in the judge’s chambers).
The request was filed in the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case, *Aaron Greenspan v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, et al.*
The legal battle, which has spanned over three years, centers on two specific FOIA requests seeking U.S. government files on the Nigerian president:
The FBI has withheld these documents under several FOIA exemptions, specifically those protecting personal privacy, law enforcement techniques, and confidential sources.
In its latest filing, the agency argued that disclosing the full justification for withholding the records publicly would compromise sensitive information. Releasing the files, the FBI warned, “could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.”
“The FBI has determined that it cannot provide on the public record the full basis for the application of [these exemptions],” the motion stated.
If Judge Howell grants the request, the FBI plans to submit two confidential, sealed declarations to the court. The plaintiff, Aaron Greenspan, has formally opposed the motion.
Links to 1990s Chicago Narcotics Case
The withheld records are tied to a historic 1990s U.S. Department of Justice investigation into a Chicago-based heroin trafficking ring.
According to U.S. court records, federal authorities investigated a narcotics network operated by Adegboyega Mueez Akande and Abiodun Agbele between 1988 and 1991. An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent, Kevin Moss, subsequently traced proceeds from the operation to several bank accounts controlled by Tinubu.
In 1992, U.S. authorities froze more than $1.4 million in accounts linked to the future Nigerian president. The case concluded in October 1993, when a U.S. District Court ordered the forfeiture of $460,000 from one of the accounts, ruling the funds represented proceeds of narcotics trafficking or money laundering.
### Tinubu Denies Wrongdoing
President Tinubu has consistently maintained his innocence regarding the 1990s investigation. His legal team emphasizes that the case was an *in rem* civil forfeiture—an action brought against the funds themselves, rather than a criminal prosecution against Tinubu personally. They have repeatedly noted that Tinubu was never arrested, indicted, or convicted of any crime in the United States.
While the FBI’s latest motion does not establish any criminal guilt, the agency’s insistence on secret judicial reviews has kept the decades-old controversy in the spotlight.
The legal developments come at a sensitive time for the Nigerian leader. The lawsuit has gained traction ahead of the 2027 presidential election, where Tinubu is expected to seek re-election.
The latest court documents were highlighted by Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm representing former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, one of Tinubu’s chief political rivals.
