Tinubu’s Drug Investigation Records: FBI and DEA Seek Delay in Release

The FBI and DEA have asked for a 90-day extension to furnish documents related to President Bola Tinubu concerning a drug investigation dating back to the 1990s. This development follows a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by Aaron Greenspan, an advocate for legal transparency and founder of PlainSite.

Greenspan’s FOIA requests are aimed at securing records tied to a Chicago-based drug ring, implicating Tinubu along with Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele. The agencies were initially ordered by Judge Beryl Howell to release non-exempt documents by May 2, 2025.

In a joint status report, the FBI and DEA stated that they require more time to conclude their searches. “Pursuant to the court’s order, the defendants, FBI and DEA must search for and produce non-exempt records responsive to the plaintiff’s FOIA requests (FBI Requests Nos. 1588244-000 and 1593615- 000, and DEA Request Nos. 22-00892-F and 24-00201-F),” the report stated.

Greenspan has contested the requested delay, pointing to previous postponements and the fact that some documents are already identified. He suggests the agencies should release unredacted versions of identified documents promptly and complete the remainder within 14 days. The two sides also disagree on when the next joint status report should be filed, with Greenspan suggesting a date of May 31, 2025, in contrast to the agencies’ proposed July 31.