A United States District Judge, Beryl Howell, has given US Attorney Jeanine Pirro a four-day extension to adhere to a court order regarding the release of documents related to longstanding allegations against Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Dr. Von Batten-Montague-York shared information indicating that Judge Howell rejected a request for an additional 10 days and instead set a deadline of August 21, 2026, for the Department of Justice to fulfill the court’s directive.
This case, which has been in the courts for over three years, involves records held by the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Von Batten-Montague-York noted that the latest ruling increases the pressure to release the documents and argued that further delays should cease.
He expressed appreciation for US Attorney Pirro and the DOJ’s renewed efforts to release these documents and aligned with Judge Howell’s stance. He emphasized that, with the case pending for three years, it was time to make the Tinubu drug-trafficking files public.
He also argued that the strategic relationship between the United States and Nigeria should not hinder the release of records that are lawfully subject to public disclosure.
According to him, transparency and adherence to judicial orders should outweigh political or diplomatic concerns.
The development comes after earlier requests from Pirro and the Department of Justice for more time to manage the documents involved in the litigation. Judge Howell’s decision now requires them to meet an August 21 deadline for compliance with the court order.
It’s important to recognize that having a court dispute over record release does not automatically prove allegations against President Tinubu. The issue revolves around government document disclosure, while any underlying allegations remain separate from judicial findings of criminal guilt.
Further updates are anticipated as the court deadline nears and relevant US authorities respond to the order.
