FBI confirms Bola Tinubu was investigated over alleged 1990s drug trafficking in sworn declaration filed before US court
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was investigated over alleged drug-trafficking activities in the early 1990s.
The confirmation is contained in a sworn declaration filed by the agency itself.
According to court documents, the declaration was filed on August 28, 2026, before the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
It was submitted as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, case seeking access to FBI records linked to the Nigerian President.
What The FBI Filed In Court
In the declaration, the FBI was direct about the nature of the records.
It stated that, "the responsive records herein were compiled in furtherance of the FBI’s investigation of multiple individuals for drug trafficking crimes."
The agency also told the court that, "the court has already determined that an official acknowledgement had been made of an investigation of Bola Tinubu."
This marks the first time in this case that the FBI has openly acknowledged the investigation on record.
Why The Case Returned To Court
The latest filing follows a major ruling delivered in April 2025.
US District Judge Beryl Howell had ruled that the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, could no longer use a “Glomar” response in the matter.
A Glomar response is when US agencies refuse to confirm or deny that records exist.
Judge Howell said the agencies did not provide enough privacy grounds to hide whether Tinubu had been investigated.
She then ordered both agencies to process the records requested under FOIA. She noted that only information protected by specific legal exemptions could be withheld.
Who Requested The Files
The FOIA requests that triggered the case were filed by Aaron Greenspan, an American transparency activist.
Greenspan asked for the "entire FBI file for Bola Ahmed Tinubu."
He also requested FBI 302 interview records involving Tinubu under FBI Case No. 245-IP-71386-UUUUUU between 1992 and 1993.
His requests are linked to a broader effort to obtain records on a Chicago heroin-trafficking operation investigated in the early 1990s.
Why Some Records Remain Secret
Even with the acknowledgment, the FBI is still keeping parts of the files secret.
The agency cited several FOIA exemptions to justify the redactions.
These include protection of personal privacy, confidential sources, law-enforcement methods and information that could put individuals at risk.
The FBI added that it cannot publicly explain the full reasons for some of the exemptions without revealing the very information it is trying to protect.
The processing of the remaining records is still ongoing before the US court.
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