₦airaland Forum

President Bola Tinubu has asked a court in the United States to enforce its previous order that allowed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to withhold some records that the agencies considered personal to the Nigerian president.

In a motion personally filed by Mr Tinubu himself on September 4, 2025, before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Nigerian president, represented by his lead counsel, Wole Afolabi, and other attorneys, argued that pending Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted by American activist Aaron Greenspan were aimed at exposing private information rather than shedding light on the conduct of government agencies.

The motion asked the court to enforce exemptions under the U.S. Privacy Act and FOIA Exemption 7(C), which protects individuals’ law enforcement records from disclosure if releasing them would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

Mr Tinubu’s lawyers said Mr Greenspan’s FOIA filings — which sought the “entire FBI file” on the Nigerian leader as well as DEA documents — were not aligned with the core purpose of FOIA, which is to illuminate government activities. Instead, they said, the activist was attempting to use the U.S. transparency law to influence political disputes in Nigeria.

“In conferring prior to filing this motion, Plaintiff asserted that the Court already resolved the issue of whether exempt records must be produced – despite not having heard from Intervenor,” Mr Tinubu’s attorneys said in their filing. “The Court appears to have chosen this language because the agencies can still assert exemptions to the production of records.”

In his response on Monday afternoon, Mr Greenspan asked the court to ignore Mr Tinubu’s plea, saying the Nigerian leader has been using his position to pursue opposition leaders and others critical of his administration.

Mr Tinubu’s legal team, however, insisted that his privacy rights remain intact even though he is a public figure. They cited past U.S. court precedents affirming that government officials, by virtue of their positions, do not surrender all rights to personal privacy.

The president’s lawyers further argued that Mr Greenspan’s interest in obtaining decades-old investigative files dating back to the early 1990s does not advance a legitimate public interest, but instead serves the activist’s for-profit website, PlainSite.org, which publishes records to drive online traffic.

“The Nigerian public’s interest in an individual is not a basis for a FOIA request,” the filing read, stressing that Mr Tinubu was not a public official at the time of the alleged events under scrutiny.

The court is yet to rule on Mr Tinubu’s motion.

Ance4Liverpool:
We already know why he doesn't want his personal information made open

Maxymilliano:
I can now understand why Sowore labelled him a criminal

CoronaVirusPro:
Hello,

His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) was never convicted by any competent court of law in The United state of America.

If you looking for a convicted felon who became president, visit the White House.

ottersberger:
So what then is he trying to hide?. The despot is fighting to hide his criminal record, funded by our stolen money.

CoronaVirusPro:
Hello, he was not convicted and has such right. It’s under the provisions of the law.

It’s that simple.

CoronaVirusPro:
He was not convicted so why should his personal records be released.

politicoNG:
https://gazettengr.com/tinubus-lawyers-seek-enforcement-of-judges-order-protecting-nigerian-presidents-personal-records-with-fbi-dea/

ottersberger:
No, it's not any simple. Back down and allow the process to play out if you're good. You know he's not.

Ance4Liverpool:
We already know why he doesn't want his personal information made open

EyeCumInPiece:
No wonder Sowore, Gani Fawehinmi and Omokri all called Tinubu a criminal.

Smartcitizen:
You see, while his online bandits are claiming he is innocent, he is on the other hand trying everything possible to tell them never to release his past dirty information to any Nigerian.

But how long are you going to continue to live like a fugitive within your people?


🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Tochi3:


..welcome..says the Display screen..

ottersberger:
No, it's not any simple. Back down and allow the process to play out if you're good. You know he's not.

Maxymilliano:
I can now understand why Sowore labelled him a criminal

Mrfixitt:
I know for sure that one day Tinubu's drug dealing records will be revealed for all to see on the internet no matter how he fights to stop that

Ance4Liverpool:
We already know why he doesn't want his personal information made open

SeeWahala:
Just imagine he's still using his chant of them causing him GRIEVOUS DAMAGE if they release the full details of his stint with the DEA and FBI in the USA

When you vote in a compromised 'nearly-convicted' felon as your leader this is exactly the kind of fruits you reap

By the way, the infamous and equally criminal oba is waving to tilumbu and screaming 'hiii' from his cell in Alcatraz 👋😆

Putindbutt:
Eeyah.. the US courts must be very corrupt, US judiciary are the most corrupt on earth. Why have they not ordered Tinubu's kriminal records be released since 2023?. If it was in any other saner climes where democracy works, his files would have been released within a few weeks. US is not practicing democracy. The US judges have agbado in their pockets

CoronaVirusPro:
What process you talking about? An already completed process that spans decades ago and already concluded.

What process you talking about?

ottersberger:
Your criminal election rigger is still in the same courts filling motions after motions, that's why. The US judiciary system follows the rule of law, unlike your Tinubu and Wike purchased Kangaroo courts in Nigeria. They hear every motion and will decide based on their merits. Mr. Tinubu is only playing for time, you know it, and his yansh go open las las.

ottersberger:
C'mon man. Reread the article na. Na Tinubu dey delay things. Him no want make the process go forward, make his soiled yansh for no open before the 2027 election

politicoNG:
https://gazettengr.com/tinubus-lawyers-seek-enforcement-of-judges-order-protecting-nigerian-presidents-personal-records-with-fbi-dea/

CoronaVirusPro:
Hello, he was not convicted and has such right. It’s under the provisions of the law.

It’s that simple.

SenatorCharles1:
Directly or indirectly admitting he committed the crime though he was convicted. Ok so was he acquitted of the crime? Was he declared not guilty? Show us the record of his acquittal


A clear conscience they say fears no accusations. Allow them to publish whatever private details if he has nothing to hide.

CoronaVirusPro:
So we are still debating in 2025 about who a convicted felon happens to be?

So the fact that he was part of an investigation makes him guilty of the crime he was never convicted of?

Thank God it happened in the US cos people like you would have said he bribes his way through if it was Nigeria.

Someone was never convicted of a crime and you still call him a criminal.

Okay, let me agree with you he is a criminal. Can you show us his court judgement on Nairaland? If you want me to show you that of Donald Trump, I will provide it.

Stop arguing baselessly in 2025.

SenatorCharles1:
Show us the conclusive report of the investigation you mentioned above

aswani:
You people have started again with this recycled, fake news.

There are no FBI files or DEA files, Greenspan and Hundeyin have fallen out. There is nothing to report or see.

Gazettengr.com is a fake news outlet. They used to claim it was a Judge Beryl Howell that adjudged the fake case, it was investigated and at no point did she handle the ghost case.

Now they have decided not to name a judge so we can't check the Judge cases for the day.

zero8zero:
Really?, when was this?