The FBI has asked a federal judge in Washington D.C. to let it submit classified arguments behind closed doors to justify keeping records about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under wraps.
In a 4-page motion filed on August 20, 2026, in the case Aaron Greenspan v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, the Bureau told U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell it wants to file two declarations “ex parte” and “in camera.” That means only the judge would see them, not the public or the person requesting the records.
The request is tied to a long-running FOIA lawsuit. Two requests are at the center of it:
- Request 1588244-000: “the entire FBI file for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, DOB 3/29/1952, President-Elect of Nigeria as of February 2023”
- Request 1593615-000: FBI interview notes, or “302s,” with Tinubu from 1992-1993 related to case No. 245-IP-71386-UUUU
The FBI says it withheld parts of the records using several FOIA exemptions, including 7(E) and 7(F). It argues that explaining everything publicly could reveal law enforcement methods and “could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.” Because of that, it says a sealed filing is necessary.
The Bureau told the court it plans to submit the two confidential declarations by August 28 if approved. The plaintiff, Aaron Greenspan, opposes the request.
The documents being sought relate to a 1990s U.S. investigation into a Chicago heroin network. U.S. court records previously reported by SaharaReporters allege that funds from that network were deposited into U.S. bank accounts linked to Tinubu. In 1992, authorities froze over $1.4 million. In 1993, a federal court in Illinois ordered the forfeiture of $460,000 from an account in Tinubu’s name, saying it was proceeds of narcotics trafficking or related to money laundering.
Tinubu has always denied any wrongdoing. His lawyers say it was a civil forfeiture action against the money, not a criminal case against him personally, and that he was never arrested, indicted, or convicted in the U.S.
Tinubu’s legal team also recently asked to join the U.S. Department of Justice’s request for more time to respond in the case. Judge Howell denied the 10-day extension but granted a shorter one.
The new FBI filing was shared on X by Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington lobbying firm hired by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election. The case has drawn fresh attention as Tinubu seeks re-election and his past faces renewed political scrutiny.
The motion does not prove any criminal offense by Tinubu. It only asks the court to review in private why certain FBI records should remain secret.
