A US federal court is now expected to consider whether parts of long disputed FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration records linked to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be made public.
Von Batten Montague York said on October 6 that the court ordered deadline for final briefs in the Freedom of Information Act case had passed. The firm said that, unless there are further developments, the court will now review the arguments filed by the parties before reaching a decision.
The case is before the US District Court for the District of Columbia and is part of a long running FOIA dispute brought by Aaron Greenspan, who has sought records from US agencies concerning historical investigations into drug trafficking and money laundering.
In an April 2025 ruling, US District Judge Beryl Howell found that the FBI and DEA could not continue using blanket Glomar responses to refuse to confirm or deny the existence of certain records concerning Tinubu. The court found that earlier government disclosures had already acknowledged Tinubu’s connection to the investigation. The CIA’s separate Glomar response was upheld.
The underlying investigation dates back to the early 1990s and involved an alleged international heroin trafficking and money laundering network. Court records describe requests for investigative documents concerning Tinubu and other individuals.
The latest statement from Von Batten Montague York says the firm expects the court to order the release of some of the records. However, the firm stressed that it expects only portions to be released.
According to the firm, the court could continue protecting information that reveals sensitive law enforcement methods while rejecting what it described as Tinubu’s request for broad privacy protection.
The records dispute does not amount to a criminal prosecution of Tinubu. Previous reporting on the case has noted that the court proceedings concern access to government records under FOIA rather than a criminal trial or finding of criminal guilt.
Tinubu’s legal team has argued that his privacy interests should prevent further disclosure of investigative material. Reporting on recent filings said his lawyers maintained that public release could expose private details from the investigation.
The FBI has also argued that some material should remain protected because disclosure could expose sensitive law enforcement information, including information involving investigative sources and methods. The court has previously allowed the FBI to submit disputed material privately for judicial review.
The case has therefore moved beyond the question of whether the agencies can simply refuse to acknowledge the records. The central issue now includes which portions of the records can legally be disclosed and which material must remain protected under FOIA exemptions.
Von Batten Montague York said it believes the court will order the release of some of the alleged FBI and DEA records concerning Tinubu while keeping sensitive investigative details confidential.
No final ruling had been announced in the October 6 statement. The court’s eventual decision will determine whether any additional material becomes publicly available and, if so, how much of the disputed records can be released
