FBI, DEA Seek 90-Day Extension to Release Tinubu Drug Case Records
In a fresh twist to the ongoing legal battle over the release of documents linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged involvement in a 1990s drug trafficking case, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have requested a 90-day extension to provide the long-awaited records.
The documents, which were initially ordered to be released by May 2, 2025, are being sought as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by U.S. transparency activist Aaron Greenspan. The case aims to compel several U.S. federal agencies to release investigative records involving Tinubu and three others—Mueez Akande, Lee Andrew Edwards, and Abiodun Agbele—allegedly connected to a Chicago-based drug trafficking and money laundering operation.
In a joint status report submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday, May 1, 2025, the FBI and DEA stated that they have begun their search for the relevant, non-exempt documents but require 90 more days to complete the process. The report emphasized that the agencies are reviewing “reasonably segregable portions of records” in line with FOIA requirements.
This delay has drawn sharp criticism from Greenspan, who argued that the agencies have already had ample time—dating back to his initial requests in 2022 and the lawsuit in 2023—to process and release the documents. He urged the court to impose a shorter deadline, suggesting that the FBI and DEA release already-identified documents immediately and complete the rest within two weeks.
“Given the years-long delay already caused by the defendants and the fact that many responsive documents have already been identified, the plaintiff proposes that the FBI and DEA complete their searches and productions by next week,” Greenspan stated in opposition.
The lawsuit, which names multiple U.S. government agencies including the IRS, State Department, CIA, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Indiana and Illinois, has narrowed down to just the FBI and DEA as the remaining defendants.
The court is now expected to rule on whether to grant the extension or impose a more immediate deadline, as Nigerians and international observers await clarity on the controversial case that continues to stir political debate.
