The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have formally requested an additional 90 days to complete their search and review of records linked to a decades-old drug investigation allegedly involving Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The U.S. law enforcement agencies indicated that they expect to finalize their search and release relevant, non-exempt documents by July 31, 2025, despite a prior court-ordered deadline of May 2, 2025, issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
The extension request stems from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by American citizen and transparency advocate, Aaron Greenspan, who is seeking the release of documents connected to an alleged 1990s drug-related investigation in which Tinubu was reportedly implicated.
Judge Dismisses FBI and DEA’s Attempt to Withhold Information
Earlier this month, Judge Beryl Howell ruled against the FBI and DEA’s use of the “Glomar response” — a legal provision that allows agencies to neither confirm nor deny the existence of specific records. Judge Howell determined that the agencies’ justification for non-disclosure “lacked merit”, thus compelling them to begin producing documents.
Following the court’s directive, the FBI and DEA confirmed they have initiated their search for responsive, non-exempt, and reasonably segregable documents as requested under the FOIA litigation.
Plaintiff Challenges Length of Extension
However, Greenspan has objected to the agencies’ proposed 90-day timeframe, arguing that a 14-day extension would be sufficient, especially given the “years-long delay” in processing the original request and the fact that several relevant documents have already been identified.
In a joint status report filed with the court, Greenspan and the U.S. Department of Justice representatives, Edward Martin Jr. and M. Jared Littman, laid out their respective positions.
“Defendants provide no rationale whatsoever as to why their search for documents should take 90 days,” Greenspan stated in the filing.
He also urged the court to compel the agencies to release unredacted versions of already-identified documents by next week, with the remainder to be produced within two weeks.
Additionally, Greenspan disclosed his intent to recover costs associated with filing the FOIA request, totaling $440.22, which includes the $402 court filing fee and $38.22 for certified mail expenses.
Timeline for Next Court Filing Disputed
While the FBI and DEA propose submitting a joint status report by July 31, 2025, to update the court on their progress, Greenspan insists that the next filing should occur no later than May 31, 2025 — just 29 days after the current court deadline.
This case continues to draw international attention due to the sensitive nature of the allegations and the prominent political status of President Tinubu, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
As of now, no official comment has been issued by President Tinubu or the Nigerian government regarding the latest developments in the U.S. legal proceedings.
