The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has disclosed that records containing searches for the names “Bola” and “Tinubu” are part of a wider, multi-subject investigative file connected to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The development is contained in documents relating to an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The case centres on efforts to obtain FBI and other US law-enforcement records concerning Tinubu and an investigation dating back to the early 1990s.
The FBI previously acknowledged in a sworn declaration filed on August 28, 2026, that the records being sought were compiled as part of an investigation involving multiple individuals in connection with drug-trafficking crimes.
According to the agency, the records were not created solely around Tinubu but formed part of a broader investigation involving several subjects. The FBI also stated that a US court had already determined that an official acknowledgement had been made regarding an investigation involving Tinubu.
Requests for Tinubu’s FBI Records
The controversy stems from FOIA requests filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan.
One of the requests, identified as FBI Request No. 1588244-000, sought the entire FBI file relating to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, identified in the request as Nigeria’s president-elect as of February 2023.
A second request, No. 1593615-000, sought FBI Form 302 interview records involving Tinubu from FBI Case No. 245-IP-71386-UUUUUU, covering the period from 1992 to 1993. (Punch Newspapers)
The FBI initially relied on provisions of the US FOIA that allow agencies to protect personal privacy and certain law-enforcement information. However, a federal court subsequently ruled that the agency could no longer simply use a so-called “Glomar” response to refuse to confirm or deny the existence of records concerning the investigation.
The ruling meant that the existence of an investigation involving Tinubu could be officially acknowledged, although it did not require the FBI to release every document or piece of information contained in its files. (Midpage)
FBI Seeks to Keep Some Records Secret
The FBI has continued to oppose the release of portions of the records.
In an August 20, 2026 filing, the agency asked the US court for permission to provide some explanations privately and under seal. It argued that releasing certain withheld information could reveal law-enforcement techniques and procedures and could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.
The FBI cited several FOIA exemptions, including Exemptions 6, 7(C), 7(D), 7(E) and 7(F), as grounds for withholding portions of the material. (Punch Newspapers)
The agency’s position is that disclosure of some of the information could expose confidential investigative methods, sources or other sensitive details.
Tinubu Challenges Further Disclosure
Tinubu has also intervened in the case through his lawyers.
In a filing before the US District Court for the District of Columbia, his legal team asked the court to reject efforts seeking broader disclosure of the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) records.
His lawyers argued that the records are protected by privacy provisions under US law and asked the court to allow the agencies to maintain certain redactions and withholdings. (TheCable)
The Nigerian Presidency has separately stressed that the proceedings should not be interpreted as a criminal trial against Tinubu.
In a statement issued on September 3, the Presidency said the case is a civil FOIA dispute concerning access to US government records, rather than a criminal prosecution. It also stated that Tinubu has not been charged or convicted of a criminal offence in connection with the proceedings. (The Guardian Nigeria)
Investigation Does Not Establish Guilt
The FBI’s acknowledgement that Tinubu was the subject of an investigation does not by itself establish that he committed a crime.
The records concern a historical investigation from the early 1990s, and the current court proceedings are primarily about whether specific government records should be disclosed or remain protected under US law. (Anadolu Ajansı)
The latest disclosure concerning the use of the names “Bola” and “Tinubu” therefore adds to the information emerging from the FOIA litigation, but significant portions of the underlying records remain withheld or redacted.
The court will ultimately determine what additional information, if any, can be released publicly.
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