The FBI and DEA have been ordered by a US court to release documents related to President Bola Tinubu’s alleged drug trafficking investigation. On April 8, Judge Beryl Howell of the District Court for Columbia directed the agencies to search for and process non-exempt records associated with FOIA requests submitted by researcher Aaron Greenspan. Between 2022 and 2023, Greenspan filed 12 requests for information concerning a Chicago drug ring from the early 1990s and records on Tinubu and several associates.
The FBI and DEA previously issued “Glomar responses,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of requested records. However, a court ruled that this approach was inappropriate, directing the agencies to search for and release non-exempt materials related to President Bola Tinubu’s case. The ruling indicated that both agencies had confirmed investigations into Tinubu concerning a drug trafficking ring. The court emphasized that any privacy concerns were outweighed by the public’s interest in accessing this information.
The FBI and DEA failed to establish a legitimate privacy interest, thus invalidating their Glomar responses. In a related ruling, the judge upheld the CIA’s Glomar response as properly asserted, granting summary judgment to the CIA while favoring the plaintiff regarding the FBI and DEA’s responses.
The court has directed the FBI and DEA to search for and process non-exempt records related to the FOIA requests submitted to them. In contrast, the CIA has been granted a favorable judgment in this matter. The remaining parties involved are required to submit a joint report by May 2, 2025, detailing the status of any unresolved issues in the case, as outlined in the accompanying order.