A report from Anadolu Agency on September 1, 2026, states that a sworn declaration submitted by the FBI in a U.S. federal court has confirmed that Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the subject of a criminal investigation involving the FBI and DEA in the early 1990s.
This declaration was filed on August 28 as part of an ongoing FOIA lawsuit intended to access law enforcement records related to Tinubu. Excerpts from the declaration, shared by the Washington-based lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, indicate that the requested records were created as part of investigations into various individuals suspected of drug trafficking offences.
The lobbying firm, representing former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, reported receiving numerous documents from the FBI, which are currently under review and redaction before being publicly released.
This filing follows a pivotal ruling in April 2025 by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, who noted that earlier public filings by the Justice Department had officially recognized Tinubu as a subject in ongoing criminal investigations by multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies. The judge ordered the FBI and DEA to locate and process non-exempt records under the FOIA.
The lawsuit was initiated by Aaron Greenspan, who sought access to records regarding Tinubu, including his complete FBI file and interview records from 1992 and 1993, linked to a larger investigation into a Chicago-based operation for heroin trafficking and money laundering in the early ‘90s.
However, the 2025 ruling did not conclude that Tinubu committed a drug trafficking offense, nor did it imply any formal charges or findings of wrongdoing against him. This distinction is crucial, as being a subject of an investigation does not imply that a person has been charged or found guilty of a crime.
The FBI continues to withhold or redact certain parts of the requested documents, citing exemptions in U.S. freedom of information laws concerning personal privacy, confidential sources, and law enforcement methods that could endanger individuals. Tinubu’s legal team has also opposed the further disclosure of some records.
The increasing focus on these documents arises during a politically charged time in Nigeria, with political parties and candidates positioning themselves for the upcoming 2027 presidential election. Atiku Abubakar, who served as vice president from 1999 to 2007, remains a significant figure in the opposition against Tinubu and the ruling APC.
The release of additional U.S. law enforcement records could emerge as a critical political topic in Nigeria, especially if the documents reveal new insights into the investigations from the 1990s.
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