U.S. Judge reprimands FBI and DEA for delaying release of President Bola Tinubu’s records

• Records relate to a 1990s narcotics case in which Tinubu surrendered $460,000 to the U.S. government
• FBI and DEA now ordered to provide sworn statements, detailed timelines, and regular progress reports

U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell has slammed the FBI and DEA over repeated delays in releasing President Bola Tinubu’s records, stemming from a 2022 Freedom of Information request filed by transparency campaigner Aaron Greenspan. The records are expected to clarify a decades-old case involving the surrender of $460,000 by Tinubu to the U.S. government in the early 1990s.

Delays and frustrations

Judge Howell highlighted that despite multiple promised deadlines, from August 2025 to early 2026, the agencies failed to release the requested documents. The DEA had produced some pages but withheld others without giving a clear timetable, while the FBI had not submitted a reliable end date for the production of the records.

The judge ordered the DEA to provide a detailed index explaining withheld pages and an affidavit for records sent to other agencies. The FBI must also explain why it missed previous deadlines and submit all non-exempt documents, including a timetable for completing batches by June 1, 2026.

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Court-mandated accountability

Starting February 27, both agencies are required to submit joint status reports every 14 days until all records are processed. The judge’s directive aims to prevent further delays and ensure transparency in releasing documents related to Tinubu’s historical legal matters.