President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked a US court to block the release of records linked to allegations of drug trafficking involving him, according to a filing by his legal team.
The request targets records held by the US Department of Justice, FBI and DEA, which American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan is seeking through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.
Greenspan wants Tinubu’s entire FBI file, FBI Form 302 interview records from 1992 and 1993, and records tied to a 1993 civil forfeiture case involving about $460,000 connected to Tinubu. Tinubu has denied wrongdoing.
In a 16-page filing, lawyers Christopher W. Carmichael, Victor P. Henderson, and Oluwole O. Afolabi argued that releasing the records would violate Tinubu’s privacy rights.
“Regardless of the prior disclosure in the forfeiture proceeding, Intervenor retains a privacy interest in potential disclosure of the investigative files sought by Plaintiff”
The legal team also argued that Greenspan’s case is focused on obtaining documents with Tinubu’s “name on them.”
They asked the court to reject Greenspan’s motion and allow the FBI and DEA to maintain their redactions and withholdings.
“Conclusion For all the foregoing reasons, Intervenor requests that the Court deny Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and allow the redactions or withholdings made by the FBI and DEA to stand”
