Tinubu Records: FBI Asks US Court to Keep Some Files Secret, Cites Security Risks
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a Federal Court in Washington, D.C., for permission to privately explain why certain records connected to investigations involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should remain confidential.
The latest development is part of an ongoing legal battle over access to FBI records relating to Tinubu and investigations dating back to the early 1990s.
According to court documents reported on Friday, August 21, 2026, the FBI filed a fresh application dated August 20, asking the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to allow it to submit a confidential declaration directly to the judge.
The proposed submission, known legally as an ex parte, in camera declaration, would be seen privately by the judge rather than made available to the parties or the general public.
The FBI says the confidential explanation is necessary because publicly disclosing the full reasons for withholding certain portions of the records could expose sensitive law-enforcement techniques and procedures, while potentially putting some individuals at risk.
The Agency is relying on several exemptions under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), including Exemptions 6, 7(C), 7(D), 7(E) and 7(F), to justify withholding portions of the documents.
According to the FBI, Exemptions 7(E) and 7(F) are particularly sensitive because the agency cannot publicly disclose the complete basis for invoking them without potentially revealing information that the exemptions are designed to protect.
If the court approves the request, the FBI said it intends to submit the confidential declaration by August 28, 2026.
How the Tinubu Records Case Started
The latest application stems from Freedom of Information Act requests filed by Aaron Greenspan, founder of PlainSite, seeking records concerning investigations involving Tinubu.
One request, identified as 1588244-000, sought the entire FBI file relating to Tinubu, while another, 1593615-000, requested FBI Form 302 interview records connected to FBI Case No. 245-IP-71386-UUUUUU covering 1992 and 1993.
Greenspan’s wider FOIA campaign involved 12 requests submitted between 2022 and 2023 to six US Federal Agencies over records concerning criminal investigations involving four individuals, including Tinubu, Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega and Abiodun Agbele.
The Agencies initially used what is known as a Glomar response, a legal position allowing an agency to refuse to confirm or deny whether responsive records exist.
Greenspan challenged the responses before the US Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy before eventually taking the matter to court.
He filed the lawsuit on June 12, 2023, challenging the agencies’ refusal to confirm or deny the existence of the requested records.
The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Executive Office for United States Attorneys and Department of State were initially named as defendants, while the Central Intelligence Agency was later added.
US Judge Had Earlier Rejected Blanket Secrecy
The latest FBI request comes against the backdrop of a significant ruling by US District Judge Beryl Howell in April 2025.
Judge Howell rejected the FBI and DEA’s blanket use of the Glomar response and ordered the agencies to lift their refusal to confirm or deny whether the requested records existed.
The judge held that the agencies had not demonstrated a sufficient legally recognisable privacy interest to justify keeping secret whether Tinubu had been the subject of a criminal investigation.
She also found that the agencies had failed to provide enough evidence to support their continued refusal to confirm or deny the existence of the records.
However, the FBI’s latest application is different from the earlier blanket secrecy position.
The Agency is now seeking permission to provide the court with additional confidential reasons for withholding specific portions of the records, particularly material it says could reveal investigative methods or expose individuals to physical danger.
Deadline for Records Release Under Pressure
The latest filing also follows a recent request by the US Department of Justice for additional time to respond to a court order relating to the release of the Tinubu records.
The DOJ reportedly requested another 10 days, but Judge Howell granted only a four-day extension, moving the deadline to August 21.
Tinubu’s legal team subsequently joined the DOJ’s request for the longer extension, but the judge reportedly declined to grant the additional time sought.
The development has therefore placed renewed attention on the FBI’s handling of the records and the extent to which the agency can legally keep portions of them from public view.
What the Latest Filing Does and Does Not, Mean
Importantly, the FBI’s latest court application does not establish that President Tinubu committed drug-trafficking offences, nor does it prove the allegations that have circulated concerning him.
Rather, the immediate issue before the court is whether the FBI has adequate legal grounds to keep certain portions of investigative records confidential.
The court will determine whether the FBI should be allowed to submit its proposed confidential declaration and will ultimately decide how the remaining records should be treated.
The FBI’s application became public after it was posted on X by Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm recently engaged by African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
As the legal battle continues, attention is now focused on the court’s determination of which records can be released publicly and which information, if any, can legitimately remain protected under US law.
Global Mirror News will continue to monitor developments in the case and report significant updates as they emerge.
