Admin.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly explained why it cannot publicly release some records linked to allegations of drug trafficking involving Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, citing concerns over sensitive law enforcement techniques and the safety of individuals connected to the investigation.
According to a Daily Trust report published on Friday, August 21, 2026, the FBI made the explanation in a filing submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday, August 20.
The agency reportedly asked the court for permission to provide a confidential declaration directly to the judge. The FBI argued that publicly disclosing its full reasons for withholding certain records could expose protected investigative methods and potentially endanger individuals.
The documents in question were requested under the United States Freedom of Information Act through two separate applications. One request sought the FBI’s complete file relating to Tinubu, while the other requested FBI Form 302 interview records associated with investigations conducted in 1992 and 1993.
The FBI relied on several legal exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act to justify withholding portions of the requested records.
The case was brought by Aaron Greenspan, the founder of PlainSite, who sought documents connected to investigations into an alleged heroin trafficking operation in Chicago during the early 1990s. Greenspan subsequently challenged the responses from US government agencies after they declined to confirm or deny the existence of some records.
In April 2025, US District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration had failed to provide sufficient justification for their earlier responses.
The latest filing comes amid an ongoing dispute over whether additional records should be released. The US Department of Justice had reportedly requested an extra 10 days to respond to a court order. However, Judge Howell granted only four additional days and extended the deadline to August 21.
The FBI said it would submit its confidential declaration by August 28 if the court approves the request.
The matter remains before the court, which is expected to determine whether the FBI can privately provide further explanations for withholding the records while keeping information it considers legally protected from public disclosure.