No Indictment by FBI, DEA Report Against Tinubu –Presidency Denounces Rumour

..Describes viral reports as politically motivated lies

Confirms legal team reviewing judgment details

Atiku reacts

The presidency yesterday dismissed a recent United State (US) court ruling instructing American law enforcement agencies to release confidential information gathered from investigating President Bola Tinubu for drug-related case in the 1990s.

The government has also accused the main opposition political party of funding baseless allegations against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after failing to gain former President Muhammadu Buhari’s support.

It further clarified that the case in question has been public for over 30 years, adding that its legal team is currently reviewing the court’s judgment.

A statement by the presidency said “there is nothing new to be revealed” and the said report by “Agent Moss of the FBI and the DEA report have been in the public space for more than 30 years.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the reports did not in any way “indict the Nigerian leader.”

But he said the president’s “lawyers are examining the ruling.

In his own response, Daniel Bwala Senior Special to the President on Communication, on his X account, questioned the timing of the alleged court order, noting that while it was purportedly issued on Tuesday, it only surfaced in the media on Sunday.

He suggested that the opposition, under what he called the “coalition for a wild goose chase,” was fabricating the story to remain politically relevant.

“Their desperation knows no bounds,” Bwala said. “They tried to drag former President Muhammadu Buhari into their schemes, but he insisted their meeting be held on camera to prevent false narratives—like claims that he was joining the SDP or PDP.”

Bwala further mocked the opposition, stating that despite their efforts, they have failed to present any credible alternative plan to Nigerians. “Hard as they try, they are still struggling to convince anyone that they have a viable agenda,” he added.

Reports on Sunday surfaced that federal court in the United States has ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to search for and disclose records relating to past criminal investigations involving Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s president.

The ruling was first disclosed by David Hundeyin, a Nigerian independent journalist who is one of the claimants in the case, via his X account.

The judgment, according to the report, delivered on Tuesday by Beryl A. Howell of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, blocks both agencies from continuing to use a legal loophole known as the “Glomar response” to avoid confirming or denying such records exist.

The ruling follows a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by technology entrepreneur Aaron Greenspan and Hundeyin.

They had requested access to documents concerning investigations involving Tinubu, but the FBI and DEA refused to comply, citing privacy protections under FOIA.

Howell, however, found that these privacy claims no longer hold, due to a public acknowledgement made by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in a 1993 forfeiture case.

Central to her ruling was an affidavit by DOJ official Kevin Moss which confirmed that Tinubu’s US bank accounts — holding over $1.4 million — were under investigation for suspected heroin trafficking connections and money laundering activities.

The affidavit explicitly named the FBI, DEA and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as agencies involved in the probe.

According to the court, the use of that affidavit by the DOJ in its legal filings amounts to an official confirmation that Tinubu was indeed under investigation. As such, the judge held that the FBI and DEA can no longer invoke FOIA’s privacy exemptions to withhold related records.

Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and Tinubu’s opponent in the 2023 presidential election, has expressed support for the U.S. court’s decision. He stated that if the released documents confirm Tinubu’s ineligibility for office, the President should “step aside” to protect Nigeria’s international reputation.

“Anyone occupying the Presidency must not be of tainted character,” Atiku said in a statement through his media aide, Paul Ibe. He added that the entire fiasco underscored the need for “full disclosure” on matters such as alleged forfeitures and academic credentials.

The former VP stated, “What it means is that the efforts of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not be in vain, and what will be uncovered is His Excellency’s attempt to ascertain exactly what transpired – the circumstances surrounding the forfeiture of thousands of dollars allegedly linked to drug trafficking—and the issue concerning the Chicago State University certificate.

“The reason is clear, the matter of the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whoever occupies that position must not be someone of tainted character.

“The government must ensure full disclosure. It is important, Nigerians need to know the background, academic records, age, state of origin, and the schools the leader attended.”

Atiku argued the importance of the ruling, saying it involves the world’s largest Black democracy.

“The fact that this issue concerns the government and the occupant of the office makes it even more significant. This is not just about Nigeria.

“This is the foremost Black nation in the world—the most populous. And so, we mean something to people around the world, especially the global Black community.

“It’s actually about time. And it’s a welcome development so we can clear the air about the issues that have been raised. Well, it’s not even just about future elections,” he stated.