The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has asked a federal court in Washington, D.C., for permission to submit a confidential declaration explaining why it is withholding some records connected to allegations involving President Bola Tinubu.
In an application dated August 20, the FBI said it could not publicly disclose the full reasons for withholding certain information and requested permission to present its arguments privately to the judge.
The request concerns Freedom of Information Act applications seeking FBI records relating to Tinubu from 1992 to 1993, including interview records linked to a former FBI case.
The FBI cited several FOIA exemptions, arguing that releasing the withheld information could reveal law-enforcement investigative techniques or potentially endanger individuals.
The agency said that, if granted permission, it would submit the confidential declaration to the court by August 28.
The development followed a separate request by the US Department of Justice for additional time to respond to a court order concerning the release of records linked to allegations involving Tinubu. Judge Beryl Howell granted a four-day extension, setting August 21 as the deadline.
The case was brought by American businessman Aaron Greenspan, who filed multiple FOIA requests with US federal agencies seeking records connected to investigations into a Chicago heroin ring that operated in the early 1990s.
In April 2025, Judge Howell ruled that the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration had improperly used a “Glomar response” — a refusal to confirm or deny whether requested records exist — in handling Greenspan’s requests.
