FBI asks court to keep records on Tinubu secret
Modern Ghana Media Communication Ltd.
On August 20, 2026 the FBI filed to submit a confidential ex parte declaration explaining why records tied to Nigerian president Bola Ahmed Tinubu should remain withheld, saying public disclosure would reveal law-enforcement techniques and endanger individuals. Judge Beryl Howell granted the request and ordered the FBI, DEA, DOJ and Tinubu's lawyers to file final oppositions by a strict August 28 deadline. The dispute stems from a June 2023 FOIA suit seeking files on a 1993 Chicago civil forfeiture linked to roughly $460,000; agencies initially used Glomar refusals and the case now tests FOIA exemptions 7(E) and 7(F) versus public disclosure.
FBI secured secret court review to withhold Tinubu-related records
Context
A FOIA lawsuit was filed in June 2023 seeking 1993 Chicago case files. In April 2025 a judge rejected Glomar refusals and ordered agencies to search for records. The FBI then asked to submit a private declaration and the court set an…
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