A U.S. court has ordered the release of unredacted files on President Bola Tinubu’s alleged involvement in a 1990s heroin trafficking case, following intense legal pressure linked to two prominent antagonists of the Nigerian leader — David Hundeyin and Aaron Greenspan
A significant ruling in a U.S. court has ordered federal agencies, including the FBI and DEA, to release unredacted files concerning Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged historical involvement in heroin trafficking. This outcome stems directly from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit successfully pursued by investigative journalist David Hundeyin and transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan.
Their legal action followed a 2022 investigation and documentary by Hundeyin’s platform, West Africa Weekly, titled “Bola Ahmed Tinubu: From Drug Lord To Presidential Candidate.” While several agencies initially agreed to release thousands of pages, the documents were heavily redacted, obscuring key details and omitting Tinubu’s name entirely. The agencies cited privacy concerns, but Hundeyin and Greenspan contested this.
U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell ultimately sided with Hundeyin and Greenspan, ruling that the public interest in the records outweighed privacy arguments, particularly given Tinubu’s current position. The court recognized the legitimacy of the request initiated by the journalist and advocate. Consequently, the FBI and DEA are now compelled to provide a schedule for releasing the complete, unredacted files by May 2, 2025, marking a victory for Hundeyin and Greenspan’s efforts to bring these records to light.
