WASHINGTON D.C., August 28, 2026
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has told a US court that releasing records linked to President Bola Tinubu’s alleged drug trafficking activities could expose its informants and agents to “violent retaliation”, including possible assassination.
The warning was contained in a court filing submitted on Friday, August 28, 2026, in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, lawsuit before Judge Beryl Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
The case stems from FOIA requests filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who is seeking records relating to alleged investigations involving Tinubu in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s. Greenspan also requested records from the CIA, DEA, IRS and immigration authorities.
Why the FBI says the records can’t be released yet
In the filing, the FBI cited FOIA Exemption, which allows agencies to withhold law-enforcement information where disclosure could reasonably be expected to endanger an individual’s life or physical safety.
The bureau argued that releasing names and other identifying information could:
1.Expose participants to retaliation – People who assisted investigations could face threats from third parties allegedly connected to the criminal activities covered by the records.
2. Endanger lives – The FBI said individuals who provided information or participated as law enforcement could be “violently targeted” if identified.
3.Reveal derogatory information – Some material could be viewed as “derogatory” or “incriminating” by those named in the files.
“Whether they provided information or participated in the investigation as law enforcement personnel, it is likely these individuals would be violently targeted by third parties involved in the criminal activities” the FBI stated.
The FBI has asked the court to review portions of its justification and some records privately, “in-camera”, rather than release them publicly.
This follows an April 2025 ruling where Judge Howell ordered US agencies to search for and process non-exempt records after rejecting an earlier refusal to confirm or deny their existence.
Former VP Atiku Abubakar has urged the FBI to release “lawfully disclosable material” while protecting agents and sources. He said: “Protect your agents. Protect your sources… But do not stretch those protections until they become a bulletproof vest for Tinubu”.
Atiku framed the demand as a “humanitarian and democratic appeal” for Nigerians to know the background of their leader.
The Presidency has not issued an official response to the latest FBI filing.
