‘Drug trafficking’: Why Tinubu’s record can’t be released – FBI

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has asked a federal court to allow it to withhold portions of records relating to an old investigation linked to President Bola Tinubu, citing concerns over law-enforcement methods and the safety of individuals.

The request was contained in a motion filed on August 20, 2026, at the US District Court for the District of Columbia, where the FBI asked permission to provide the judge with additional details supporting its decision to keep some of the records from public disclosure.

The records are connected to Freedom of Information Act requests seeking FBI materials relating to Tinubu, including documents associated with an investigation from the 1990s.

FBI seeks private court review

The FBI asked the court to allow it to submit part of its explanation ex parte and in camera. This means the additional material would be presented directly to the judge and kept outside the publicly accessible court record.

The agency argued that publicly disclosing the details could defeat the purpose of the exemptions it relied upon to withhold portions of the records.

According to the FBI, a public explanation of some of its decisions could itself reveal the sensitive information that the agency is seeking to protect.

The Bureau said some of the withheld information could expose investigative procedures and techniques used by law-enforcement authorities.

It also raised concerns that disclosure of other information could expose individuals to threats to their physical safety.

FOIA requests seek Tinubu records

The dispute followed two Freedom of Information Act requests for FBI records connected to Tinubu.

One of the requests sought the Bureau’s complete file concerning the Nigerian President, while another sought interview reports known as Form 302s relating to an FBI case from 1992 and 1993.

The requests have generated renewed interest in records concerning an old investigation linked to Tinubu, with questions surrounding what information the FBI can legally release under US freedom of information laws.

The agency, however, maintained that certain portions of the requested materials are protected by statutory exemptions.

FBI cites legal exemptions

The FBI said it had applied several exemptions under the FOIA law to portions of the records.

Among the exemptions cited are provisions designed to protect personal privacy, confidential sources, law-enforcement techniques and information that could endanger individuals.

The Bureau specifically told the court that its public filings could not adequately explain the full basis for its reliance on exemptions 7(E) and 7(F).

Exemption 7(E) generally concerns information that could disclose law-enforcement techniques or procedures, while exemption 7(F) covers information that could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.

The FBI therefore wants to provide the judge with a sealed declaration containing additional information to support its position.

Judge to receive confidential explanation

The agency said the proposed confidential declaration would enable the judge to examine its reasoning directly without exposing sensitive information to the public.

The FBI argued that the additional material could not safely be included in a public filing because doing so could reveal the very investigative methods or safety-related information protected by the exemptions.

If the court grants the request, the Bureau said it intends to submit the confidential declaration by August 28.

The development does not, by itself, establish the allegations associated with the underlying investigation. Rather, the current court dispute concerns whether certain FBI records can be withheld from public disclosure under the exemptions provided by US law.

The filing was publicised on X by Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm, according to reports.

The court will determine whether the FBI has provided sufficient grounds to justify the confidential submission and the withholding of the disputed portions of the records.