The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a United States federal court to allow it to keep certain records relating to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confidential.
The request forms part of an ongoing legal dispute over access to documents connected to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests concerning Tinubu and matters dating back to the early 1990s.
According to documents filed before the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the FBI wants permission to submit a confidential explanation to the court detailing why some of the requested records should not be released publicly.
The agency filed the application on August 20, 2026, asking the court to permit it to submit an ex parte and in-camera declaration under seal. Such a procedure would allow the judge to review the information privately without making the contents available to the other parties or the general public.
The records at the centre of the dispute are linked to FOIA requests concerning Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the 1992–1993 period.
One of the requests reportedly seeks the FBI’s records concerning Tinubu, while another concerns FBI interview records associated with a case from the same period.
The FBI has relied on several exemptions under the US Freedom of Information Act in seeking to withhold portions of the material. The exemptions cited include provisions relating to personal privacy, confidential sources, investigative methods and information whose disclosure could potentially expose individuals to threats or harm.
However, the FBI has argued that publicly explaining the full basis for some of the exemptions could itself reveal information that the exemptions are intended to protect.
For that reason, the agency wants to provide the court with a detailed explanation privately. If the request is granted, the FBI indicated that it intends to file the sealed declaration by August 28.
The latest development is part of a broader legal battle over access to the records. The case was brought by American businessman Aaron Greenspan, founder of PlainSite, who has sought access to documents held by the US government.
The dispute has also involved the US Department of Justice, which previously requested additional time to respond to a court order concerning the records.
Judge Beryl Howell granted the Department of Justice a limited extension of four days, rather than the 10 additional days that had been requested.
Tinubu’s legal representatives later joined the request for more time. However, the judge declined to grant the longer extension.
The FBI’s latest application therefore places the question of confidentiality directly before the court, with the judge expected to determine whether the agency has provided sufficient grounds for keeping parts of the material sealed.
The controversy has attracted attention because of the historical nature of the documents and their connection to allegations that have circulated publicly about Tinubu.
It is important, however, to distinguish between allegations contained in requests for government records and established facts. The FBI’s request to keep certain records confidential does not, by itself, establish that Tinubu committed drug trafficking or any other criminal offence.
Instead, the immediate issue before the court is whether the FBI can legally withhold or restrict access to particular government records under the exemptions provided by US law.
The court’s eventual decision could determine whether additional information from the FBI’s files becomes available to the public or remains protected from disclosure.
As the legal proceedings continue, attention is expected to remain focused on the court’s handling of the sealed FBI material and whether further documents connected to the long-running FOIA dispute will eventually be released.
Source: Thepressradio.com
