The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a federal court in Washington, DC, for permission to privately explain why some records connected to allegations involving Nigerian President Bola Tinubu should remain withheld from public release.
The request was filed on August 20 before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The FBI said it wants to submit a confidential declaration to explain the basis for withholding certain information.
FBI Seeks Confidential Filing
The agency is asking to make its submission ex parte and in camera, meaning the information would be presented privately to the judge rather than placed on the public court record.
The application was made public on Thursday by Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm recently retained by former Nigerian Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The FBI said the records were connected to Freedom of Information Act requests concerning Tinubu and information dating from 1992 and 1993.
Why the FBI Wants Records Withheld
According to the FBI, it relied on several exemptions under the US Freedom of Information Act when responding to requests for the documents.
The agency argued that releasing some of the information could reveal law-enforcement investigative methods and potentially create risks to individuals.
The FBI stated that disclosure could “disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations” or could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.
Request for Tinubu’s FBI File
One of the requests cited by the FBI carries the reference number 1588244-000.
The request sought what was described as the complete FBI file relating to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including records associated with his date of birth and his status as Nigeria’s president-elect in February 2023.
The latest court filing does not, by itself, establish the allegations against Tinubu or confirm that he was involved in drug trafficking.
Rather, the filing concerns the FBI’s legal position on whether certain records should be released under US freedom-of-information laws.
The court will determine whether the FBI can keep the disputed material confidential.
