The FBI and DEA have asked for a 90-day extension to release documents related to a decades-old drug trafficking and money laundering case allegedly linked to President Bola Tinubu. This delay comes despite a prior U.S. District Court order mandating the agencies to release the documents by May 2, 2025. The case originates from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by American transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan, who is seeking records from several federal agencies concerning Tinubu and others allegedly involved in a 1990s drug ring in Chicago.
According to court filings, Greenspan had submitted 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023 targeting the FBI, DEA, IRS, State Department, CIA, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Indiana and Illinois. The records sought involve Bola Tinubu, Mueez Akande, Lee Andrew Edwards, and Abiodun Agbele. The FBI and DEA explained in a joint report that while they have started searching for responsive, non-exempt materials, more time is needed to complete the process. They emphasized the complexity of the search and the requirement to release only segregable and non-exempt portions of documents.
However, Greenspan criticized the agencies’ request, calling it an unnecessary delay. He argued that many of the relevant documents have already been identified and that the agencies have offered no valid justification for taking an additional three months. He proposed a more immediate timeline, urging the court to mandate the release of the unredacted documents within a week and the remainder within two weeks. The disagreement underscores the broader tension between transparency advocates and federal agencies in high-profile FOIA cases.
