Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked a US federal court to block the release of records held by the FBI, Department of Justice and DEA relating to historical investigations involving him. His lawyers argue that releasing the records could violate his privacy rights and have urged the court to uphold existing redactions and withholdings. The case stems from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by transparency activist Aaron Greenspan in 2022 and 2023. He is seeking records concerning historical investigations dating to the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the FBI’s file on Tinubu and interview records from 1992 and 1993. The case also involves records linked to a 1993 US civil forfeiture proceeding involving about $460,000 associated with Tinubu. He has denied wrongdoing. In April 2025, US District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA could no longer use “Glomar” responses to refuse to confirm or deny whether records existed. She ordered the agencies to process records responsive to Greenspan’s requests that were not exempt under FOIA. The ruling did not establish that Tinubu committed a drug-trafficking offence or amount to a criminal conviction. It dealt with the agencies’ obligations under FOIA and whether the records could legally be withheld. Earlier this month, the FBI asked the court to allow it to submit sensitive information privately and under seal to justify withholding parts of the records. The agency cited FOIA exemptions covering personal privacy, confidential sources, law-enforcement techniques and information that could endanger an individual’s life or physical safety. Tinubu had previously joined a request by the US Justice Department for more time to respond to the court’s orders. Judge Howell declined to grant the full extension sought by the government, with the court setting a deadline for responses. Tinubu’s latest filing now puts him directly at the centre of the dispute. The court is expected to decide whether the FBI and DEA can maintain their redactions and withholdings or whether additional records sought by Greenspan must be released.