The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has submitted records connected to a 1993 investigation involving President Bola Tinubu to Judge Beryl Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
The documents were reportedly hand-delivered to the court on Friday, August 28, 2026, following a directive from Judge Howell in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case. Rather than releasing the records to the public, the FBI submitted them under seal for the judge’s private examination.
The case stems from a 2023 FOIA request filed by transparency campaigner Aaron Greenspan, who sought access to FBI records relating to Tinubu. Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin has also been associated with the effort to obtain the documents.
Court filings indicate that the materials were submitted “under seal, ex parte, in camera,” meaning Judge Howell will review them privately before determining whether some or all of the information can be disclosed.
The FBI had previously argued that releasing portions of the records could expose sensitive law-enforcement information, including investigative techniques, confidential sources and information that could potentially threaten individuals’ safety. The bureau had therefore sought permission to explain some of its objections privately to the judge.
The records relate to investigations involving Tinubu during the 1990s, including a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding involving approximately $460,000. Tinubu has denied wrongdoing, and the historical allegations have remained a recurring subject of political debate in Nigeria.
The submission does not mean the records have been released or that their contents have been made public. Judge Howell must still determine which materials, if any, are protected from disclosure under US law.
The development is significant because the long-running records dispute has attracted considerable attention in Nigeria, particularly as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections.
For now, the contents of the FBI documents remain confidential. The next major development will be Judge Howell’s decision on whether the records can ultimately be released, in whole or in part.
