Tinubu records: US DEA explains why some investigative files remain withheld
By Felix Uroko
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has told a federal court why it is withholding portions of investigative records sought in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case involving documents related to President Bola Tinubu.
In a filing dated September 23, 2026, the US government argued that releasing some of the records could expose confidential sources, investigative techniques and other sensitive law-enforcement information.
The case was brought by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who has been seeking records from US government agencies concerning historical investigations involving Tinubu and other individuals.
Importantly, the proceedings are a civil FOIA records-disclosure dispute, not a criminal prosecution of Tinubu. The Presidency has previously made the same clarification.
Why the DEA is withholding the records
The DEA said it relied on sworn declarations and a detailed index to explain why portions of the requested material could not be released under US freedom-of-information laws.
The agency said the records include investigative reports generated during law-enforcement operations, including documents identified as DEA-6, DEA-292 and DEA-210.
According to the government, some of the withheld information relates to confidential sources whose identities and information provided to investigators receive strong protection under FOIA exemptions.
The DEA argued that the need to protect such information outweighs the public interest in releasing it.
“The significance of exempting this type of information outweighed the relatively insignificant public interest in the disclosure of the information,” the agency said.»
What is the case about?
Greenspan filed multiple FOIA requests seeking records from agencies including the DEA, FBI and CIA concerning historical investigations dating back to the early 1990s.
The requests included records relating to Tinubu and other individuals allegedly connected to a drug-trafficking and money-laundering investigation.
In an earlier 2025 ruling, the US District Court for the District of Columbia examined several of the FOIA disputes and addressed the agencies’ use of exemptions to withhold or refuse to confirm certain records.
The latest filing represents the US government's defence of the DEA's continued withholding of portions of the records.
The dispute over what information should ultimately be released remains before the federal court.
