Washington: A United States District Court has reportedly given the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) a deadline to release investigative files on the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The court issued this order following a suit filed by American activist Aaron Greenspan and journalist David Hundeyin after their initial request for the files was refused.
According to Ghana Web, the legal directive requires the FBI and DEA to comply with the court's ruling from April 2025. Judge Beryl Howell, who presided over the case, sharply criticised the agencies for not meeting previous court deadlines and ordered them to release 'non-exempt records.' The case involves a Chicago heroin investigation and a 1993 forfeiture in which Tinubu surrendered $460,000, though he was never charged with a crime.
The court, as reported by saharareporters.com, has granted only a four-day extension for the release of the files, setting August 21 as the new deadline. Judge Howell emphasised the court's unwillingness to further delay the case, which has been ongoing for over three years. The renewed action by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice has been welcomed by the lobbying firm advocating for the documents' release.
President Tinubu has consistently denied any involvement in drug trafficking, dismissing the decades-old allegations against him.