FBI, DEA request 90-day extension to release Tinubu records

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FBI, DEA request 90-day extension to release Tinubu records

The anticipated release of documents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) relating to an alleged drug investigation involving President Bola Tinubu has been delayed.

Originally ordered by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to be released by May 2, 2025, the agencies filed a joint status report on Thursday, May 1, requesting an additional 90 days to complete the process.

The case stems from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed in June 2023 by U.S. transparency advocate, Aaron Greenspan. The lawsuit seeks access to investigative records from multiple U.S. agencies regarding a 1990s drug trafficking and money laundering case in Chicago allegedly linked to Tinubu and others.

Between 2022 and 2023, Greenspan submitted 12 FOIA requests targeting agencies including the FBI, DEA, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Department of State, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Indiana and Illinois, and the CIA. The requests focus on records related to Bola Tinubu, Mueez Akande, Lee Andrew Edwards, and Abiodun Agbele.

In their latest court filing, the FBI and DEA stated that searches for non-exempt, reasonably segregable records are underway and would require up to 90 days to complete.

“The FBI and DEA have initiated their searches… and anticipate completing them in ninety days,” the report noted.

However, Greenspan rejected the extension, calling it an unnecessary delay. He urged the court to mandate a shorter timeline, arguing that some documents had already been identified and should be released sooner.

“The plaintiff proposes that the FBI and DEA complete their searches and productions by next week, or at least release unredacted versions of already-identified documents by then, with the rest completed in 14 days,” Greenspan argued.

He criticised the agencies for providing “no rationale” for the additional 90-day request, citing years of prior delays in processing the FOIA requests.

The court has yet to decide on whether to grant the extension.