The Presidency has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu is facing a criminal trial in the United States, clarifying that the ongoing Washington court case is strictly a civil dispute over access to records held by American law enforcement agencies.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasized that the litigation before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia neither constitutes a criminal charge nor represents any judicial finding of wrongdoing.
He noted that the proceedings stem from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted in 2022 by Aaron Greenspan, which have already resulted in the FBI and DEA releasing 399 pages of records with standard legal redactions.
The Presidency traced the origins of the controversy, recalling a February 4, 2003 letter from the American Consulate in Lagos to then-Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun, which confirmed that an FBI records check found no criminal arrest records, wants, or warrants for Tinubu during his tenure as Lagos State governor.
According to the statement, the current litigation began after Greenspan filed Civil Action No. 23-1816 in 2023, prompting several US agencies to invoke the “Glomar defence” to protect law enforcement operations and sources.
While summary judgments were granted in favor of agencies like the CIA and Department of State, matters involving the FBI and DEA proceeded further.
The legal arguments in the ongoing case center on whether the FBI and DEA are legally entitled to redact portions of the released documents.
The US Department of Justice maintains that the deletions are protected under FOIA exemptions covering grand jury proceedings, personal privacy, confidential sources, and investigative techniques, with President Tinubu also asserting privacy rights under Exemption 7(C).
The Presidency dismissed commentary from opposition figures and individuals like Karl von Batten, clarifying that neither Von Batten nor former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has any formal party status in the ongoing proceedings.
Judge Beryl A. Howell has set key deadlines for the case, giving the plaintiff until September 11, 2026, to respond to submissions, while the defendants and President Tinubu as an intervenor have until September 18, 2026, to reply.
The court will ultimately determine the matter based on evidence, applicable US law, and arguments presented, rather than public speculation.
The Presidency reiterated that the release or withholding of records under FOIA does not establish criminal liability, stressing that the core issue remains limited to the proper application of statutory redaction exemptions.
In a separate development, President Tinubu welcomed the planned October 7 launch of the African Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA), describing it as a vital step toward fairer economic assessments for the continent.
Stressing that Africa is advocating for fair ratings grounded in economic fundamentals and reforms rather than preferential treatment, Tinubu urged the new agency to secure international confidence through strict institutional independence and professional rigor.
