The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have jointly requested a 90-day extension to release investigative records pertaining to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This request stems from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by U.S. transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan, who is seeking records tied to an alleged drug investigation from the 1990s involving Tinubu.
Originally ordered by a U.S. District Court to respond by May 2, the agencies now claim they will need until July 31 to complete their document search. This follows an April 8 ruling by Judge Beryl Howell that rejected the agencies’ attempt to invoke a “Glomar response,” which would have allowed them to neither confirm nor deny the existence of the records.
Despite the court’s order, Greenspan opposes the extension, suggesting that 14 additional days are sufficient given that some responsive documents have already been identified. A joint status report filed by the agencies through U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr. and Assistant Attorney M. Jared Littman indicates ongoing efforts to locate and review non-exempt materials.
While the agencies argue for more time, Greenspan insists on expedited disclosure and plans to request reimbursement of legal costs totaling \$440.22.
The court is now being asked to consider whether the agencies’ timeline is justified or whether quicker compliance is warranted in the public interest.
