The U.S. District Court has instructed law enforcement agencies to release records pertaining to a 1990s investigation involving President Bola Tinubu. Judge Beryl Howell determined that the FBI and DEA wrongfully withheld information, deeming their justification neither logical nor plausible. The decision demands transparency regarding Tinubu’s alleged ties to drug trafficking and money laundering.
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has directed U.S. law enforcement agencies to disclose confidential information regarding President Bola Tinubu’s alleged involvement in a federal investigation from the 1990s. In a ruling on Tuesday, Judge Beryl Howell condemned the agencies’ use of “Glomar responses,” which declined to confirm or deny the existence of pertinent records, calling their justification “neither logical nor plausible.”
The case was filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by Aaron Greenspan, who accused agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and IRS of withholding documents related to Tinubu and an investigation into a Chicago heroin ring.
According to Premium Times, the court recognized that Tinubu was a subject of joint investigations by the FBI and DEA in the early 1990s, concerning money laundering connected to a heroin trafficking organization in Chicago.
Documents submitted by the plaintiff revealed evidence from investigations, including the forfeiture of $460,000 by Tinubu in 1993, which was allegedly linked to proceeds from narcotics trafficking. While Judge Howell ordered the FBI and DEA to lift their Glomar responses, the CIA was granted relief due to a lack of evidence showing it had acknowledged any responsive records.
**Implications of the Court Ruling:**
The court’s decision requires the release of records related to Tinubu and Abiodun Agbele, shedding light on gaps in the agencies’ compliance with FOIA. The judge emphasized the public interest in transparency and noted that privacy concerns did not outweigh the need for disclosure in this case. A joint report from the remaining agencies, excluding the CIA, is expected by May 2 to address any unresolved issues.
