The Presidency on Sunday dismissed any notion of fresh revelations emerging from a United States court order directing the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration to release files on President Bola Tinubu\u2019s past investigation.
It insisted that the records, which date back to a drug trafficking investigation in Chicago from the early 1990s, have been publicly available for over three decades and posed no fresh concerns for the President.
This followed a ruling by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, who instructed both agencies to conduct searches and process non-exempt documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan.
A copy of the court decision, obtained Sunday, shows that the FBI and DEA must comply with Greenspan\u2019s FOIA submissions related to a Chicago-based narcotics ring from the early 1990s\u2014\u201cinvolving Tinubu and three others: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.\u201d
\u201cThe FBI and DEA have both officially confirmed investigations of Tinubu relating to the drug trafficking ring,\u201d the court stated, adding that \u201cprivacy interests are outweighed by the public interest in the release of such information.\u201d
Reacting to the development, the President\u2019s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said, \u201cThere is nothing new to be revealed. The report by Agent Moss of the FBI and the DEA has been in the public space for more than 30 years. The reports did not indict the Nigerian leader.\u201d
Onanuga confirmed that government lawyers were reviewing the US judge\u2019s ruling, arguing that the documents add no fresh dimension to Tinubu\u2019s past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The order, issued by Judge Howell on April 8, mandates the FBI and DEA to conduct searches and process any non-exempt documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American legal researcher Aaron Greenspan.
Greenspan, who runs the transparency platform PlainSite, submitted 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023.
His filings sought information on a Chicago-based drug trafficking operation from the early 1990s and included requests for records concerning Tinubu and three others: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.
Until now, the FBI and DEA had issued \u201cGlomar responses,\u201d declining to confirm or deny the existence of the records. However, the court ruled that such responses were not justified in this case.
It stated that both agencies had effectively confirmed the existence of investigations involving Tinubu and must now proceed with releasing relevant materials unless they are legally exempt.
In her decision, Judge Howell stressed that any potential privacy concerns were outweighed by the public interest in the case. The ruling noted that the agencies failed to provide sufficient justification for withholding the information.
The judgment read, \u201cThe FBI and DEA have both officially confirmed investigations of Tinubu relating to the drug trafficking ring.
\u201cAny privacy interests implicated by the FOIA requests to the FBI and DEA for records about Tinubu are overcome by the public interest in release of such information.
\u201cSince the FBI and DEA have provided no information to establish that a cognizable privacy interest exists in keeping secret the fact that Tinubu was a subject of criminal investigation.
\u201cThey have failed to meet their burden to sustain their Glomar responses and provide an additional reason why these responses must be lifted.\u201d
While the FBI and DEA were ordered to comply with the FOIA requests, the court upheld the CIA\u2019s decision to withhold records, after Greenspan acknowledged the agency had valid grounds under existing law.
All parties involved have been instructed to file a joint report on the progress of the case by May 2, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judge ruled, \u201cFor the reasons discussed above, the plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment as to each of the four Glomar responses asserted by defendants FBI and DEA, while defendant CIA is entitled to summary judgment since its Glomar response was properly asserted.
\u201cAccordingly, the FBI and DEA must search for and process non-exempt records responsive to the FOIA requests directed to these agencies.
\u201cThe CIA, meanwhile, is entitled to judgment in its favour in this case. The remaining parties are directed to file jointly, by May 2, 2025, a report on the status of any outstanding issues in this case, as described in the accompanying order.\u201d
However, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, while speaking on Sunday\u2019s edition of Channels Television\u2019s Politics Today, stated that the information being sought wouldn\u2019t be different from what was already in the public domain.
According to him, the buzz around the news was mainly because of the way the media and opposition interpreted it.
He said, \u201cNothing\u2019s new at all. So, let\u2019s wait for the 2nd of May because there is actually nothing that they are seeking for which has not been released. I mean it is intended to create unnecessary conversation as if there is an issue on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, there is nothing actually in what was published in the ruling of the court that is new. Everything has been in the public domain for ages. But you know, the opposition will want to feast on it because in the absence of better ideas, that is the only thing they can cling on to, in the hope that they will probably misinterpret the public.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who ran against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential polls, has welcomed the American court\u2019s order. He argued that if the disclosed records prove the President ineligible to hold office, Tinubu \u201cshould step aside\u201d for the sake of Nigeria\u2019s global image.
\u201cAnyone occupying the Presidency must not be of tainted character,\u201d Atiku said in a statement through his media aide, Paul Ibe. He added that the entire fiasco underscored the need for \u201cfull disclosure\u201d on matters such as alleged forfeitures and academic credentials.
The former VP stated, \u201cWhat it means is that the efforts of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not be in vain, and what will be uncovered is His Excellency\u2019s attempt to ascertain exactly what transpired \u2013 the circumstances surrounding the forfeiture of thousands of dollars allegedly linked to drug trafficking\u2014and the issue concerning the Chicago State University certificate.
\u201cThe reason is clear, the matter of the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whoever occupies that position must not be someone of tainted character.
\u201cThe government must ensure full disclosure. It is important, Nigerians need to know the background, academic records, age, state of origin, and the schools the leader attended.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Atiku argued the importance of the ruling, saying it involves the world\u2019s largest Black democracy.
\u201cThe fact that this issue concerns the government and the occupant of the office makes it even more significant. This is not just about Nigeria.
\u201cThis is the foremost Black nation in the world\u2014the most populous. And so, we mean something to people around the world, especially the global Black community.
\u201cIt\u2019s actually about time. And it\u2019s a welcome development so we can clear the air about the issues that have been raised. Well, it\u2019s not even just about future elections,\u201d he stated.
Atiku said if found wanting, the President must vacate office to quit \u201cdragging the country into shame.\u201d
\u201cIf it\u2019s established that the President, based on the revealed records, is not qualified, then the honourable thing for him to do would be to step aside.
\u201cThat would be the natural course of action. He shouldn\u2019t continue to drag the country into shame.
\u201cWe are a nation governed by laws. Our young people are watching closely. They are observing how we respond in moments like this.\u201d
Also, the People\u2019s Democratic Party stated that the ruling by the United States District Court in Columbia would give Nigerians the chance to truly understand who their President is.
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, stated in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH that the development also provides President Tinubu with an opportunity to clear his name \u2013 if he genuinely has nothing to hide.
On April 8, the court directed the FBI and DEA to release documents linked to the criminal investigation of President Bola Tinubu concerning alleged drug trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ruling, which was made available on the court\u2019s website and reviewed by The PUNCH on Sunday, saw Judge Beryl Howell instruct both agencies to identify and process all non-exempt records in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by American researcher Aaron Greenspan.
Greenspan, who founded the legal transparency platform PlainSite, had submitted 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023, seeking information about a drug ring that operated
In response, Osadolor urged President Tinubu to respect the court order and allow the legal process to proceed without filing an appeal.
He stated, \u201cWell, in this society, why would the leader of over 230 million people feel the need to hide his past? I believe what the U.S. court has done is not only commendable but also stands in stark contrast to the actions of some of our Nigerian judicial counterparts. I would expect the Nigerian judiciary to take a leaf of courage from the U.S. court\u2019s decision, understanding that no one is above the law, and that everyone should be held accountable for their past, present, and future actions.
\u201cPresident Tinubu should see this as a wake-up call and allow the U.S. court to proceed with its actions. Let the rule of law and the judiciary thrive in Nigeria. He should stop trying to appeal or discredit the pronouncements made by the U.S. court.
\u201cConsidering the numerous appeals he filed during the last campaign season, I believe it\u2019s time he clears his name once and for all\u2014if he truly has nothing to hide. And if he does have something to hide, this is the best time to come clean before the Nigerian people. This is an opportunity for Nigerians to know who he truly is.
\u201cHe should be transparent and let Nigerians move forward with the truth and facts as they stand. If, after being exposed, Nigerians still choose to support him, then let that be their democratic choice. But he should not keep Nigerians in the dark about his true identity or past records.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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