FBI, DEA Seek 90-day Extension to Release Tinubu’s Drug Investigation Records

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have jointly requested a 90-day extension from a U.S. District Court to release documents linked to a past drug-related investigation allegedly involving Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

This request was made in a joint status report submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday. 

The filing is part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case initiated by American transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan, founder of the legal platform PlainSite.

Greenspan is demanding access to records connected to a suspected drug ring in Chicago from the 1990s. 

Among the individuals named in his request are President Tinubu, Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.

Previously, the court, under Judge Beryl Howell, ordered the FBI and DEA to provide an update on their document searches by May 2, 2025. 

In their latest submission, however, the agencies claimed they need additional time to complete their search for responsive, non-exempt documents.

While the FBI and DEA anticipate needing 90 days to finalize their efforts, Greenspan strongly opposed the delay, arguing that relevant materials have already been identified and the process has already been delayed for years.

He proposed that the agencies produce the existing documents immediately and complete the remainder within 14 days, describing the 90-day timeline as unjustified.

The FOIA requests, submitted between 2022 and 2023, initially met resistance when the agencies issued a “Glomar response,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of such records. 

A court ruling later invalidated that stance and directed the agencies to release all applicable materials.

The dispute now includes a disagreement over when to submit the next case update. 

The agencies suggested July 31, while Greenspan asked for a May 31 deadline. 

He is also seeking reimbursement for $440.22 in legal and mailing expenses incurred during the case.