President’s lawyers argue disclosure of investigative files could infringe on his privacy rights
By The Pivot Online
ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked a United States federal court to reject efforts to release records relating to historical investigations involving him, arguing that disclosure of the materials could violate his privacy rights.
The request was contained in a 16-page court filing dated August 28, 2026, submitted by Tinubu’s legal team in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit brought by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan against several United States government agencies.
The case, Greenspan v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-01816-BAH, is before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Greenspan has been seeking records from US agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), relating to investigations dating back to the early 1990s. His requests include an FBI file concerning Tinubu and interview records from the 1992–1993 period.
Tinubu’s legal challenge
In their latest filing, Tinubu’s lawyers urged the court to deny Greenspan’s request for summary judgment and allow the redactions and withholding of records by the FBI and DEA to remain in place.
The legal team argued that the fact that some information may have previously appeared in public records does not automatically remove Tinubu’s privacy interests in the contents of government investigative files.
They maintained that information contained in investigative records could include details that have never been publicly disclosed and that such information remains subject to privacy protections under US law.
The lawyers further argued that Greenspan’s focus on obtaining documents bearing Tinubu’s name should not override exemptions under the FOIA and the US Privacy Act.
What Greenspan is seeking
Greenspan’s FOIA requests concern records connected to historical US law-enforcement investigations.
Among the materials sought are the FBI’s records relating to Tinubu and FBI Form 302 interview records covering the 1992–1993 period. Form 302 documents are generally used by the FBI to record information obtained during interviews conducted as part of investigations.
The litigation also concerns records associated with a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding involving approximately $460,000 in the United States.
Court records show that the broader FOIA dispute has involved requests concerning an alleged investigation dating to the early 1990s. A 2025 court opinion described Greenspan’s requests as seeking criminal investigative documents that he claimed were generated during an investigation into an international drug-trafficking and money-laundering operation.
FBI seeks to withhold some information
The latest development follows another significant move by the FBI.
Earlier in August, the bureau asked the US court for permission to submit some of its explanations for withholding information privately and under seal. The FBI said it could not fully explain on the public record the basis for applying certain FOIA exemptions because doing so could disclose law-enforcement techniques or potentially create safety risks.
The agency has invoked several FOIA exemptions in connection with the records, including provisions dealing with personal privacy, confidential sources, investigative techniques and potential threats to individuals’ safety.
A case dating back to 2023
Greenspan instituted the FOIA lawsuit in 2023 after seeking records from multiple US government agencies.
The case has since generated several legal disputes over the government’s handling of the requests, including whether agencies could refuse to confirm or deny the existence of certain records and whether the information sought was protected by statutory exemptions.
In an earlier ruling, US District Judge Beryl Howell rejected the agencies’ initial “Glomar” responses in relation to some of the requests, requiring further consideration of the records and applicable exemptions.
The litigation has continued through 2026, with the parties engaging in further arguments over what information should be disclosed and what material can lawfully remain confidential.
No criminal conviction established by the case
The ongoing FOIA proceedings should not be interpreted as a criminal conviction or judicial finding that Tinubu committed drug trafficking.
The present dispute is fundamentally about access to government records under US freedom-of-information law, and whether privacy and law-enforcement exemptions permit the agencies to withhold or redact the requested material.
Tinubu has consistently denied wrongdoing and has not been convicted of drug trafficking in the United States.
The latest filing by his lawyers is therefore an attempt to prevent or limit the disclosure of the records while the FOIA litigation continues.
What happens next?
The US court will determine whether the arguments advanced by Greenspan, the US government agencies and Tinubu’s legal team satisfy the requirements of American FOIA law.
A ruling could determine whether additional records are released, remain partially redacted or continue to be withheld.
For now, the long-running legal battle over the historical records remains before the US federal court.
The Pivot Online will continue to monitor the proceedings and provide verified updates as they emerge from the court.
THE PIVOT ONLINE
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