President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked a United States court to prevent the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from releasing records linked to past investigations involving him, citing concerns over his privacy.
According to a report obtained by The News Chronicle on Saturday, August 29, 2026, the request followed a lawsuit initiated by transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who sought the release of records connected to investigations involving Tinubu, including FBI records dating back to 1992 and 1993.
The case also concerns documents linked to a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding involving approximately $460,000 allegedly associated with Tinubu.
Tinubu has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with the matter.
In a 16-page court filing, Tinubu’s legal team argued that the release of the requested documents could violate his privacy rights.
The lawyers maintained that information previously made public did not disclose the details or contents of any alleged criminal investigation involving the Nigerian president.
They further argued that the disclosure of some information in the past did not automatically eliminate Tinubu’s privacy interest in other records that have not been made public.
Citing previous decisions by US courts, Tinubu’s lawyers said individuals could retain privacy rights over government records even where certain related information had already entered the public domain.
The legal team also drew a distinction between the fact that an individual may have been investigated and the specific contents or details contained in investigative records.
Tinubu is therefore seeking a court order preventing the FBI and DEA from releasing the requested documents, arguing that their disclosure would unjustifiably infringe on his privacy rights.
