Fresh challenges loom for Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as the United States District Court for the District of Columbia has directed key US law enforcement agencies to disclose confidential records related to a “purported federal investigation” involving him in the 1990s. Judge Beryl Howell issued the ruling on Tuesday, stating that withholding the information from public access is “neither logical nor plausible.”

The case was initiated by Aaron Greenspan, an American citizen, who filed a lawsuit in June 2023 under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The suit targeted several US agencies, including the Executive Office for US Attorneys, the Department of State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Greenspan accused these agencies of violating FOIA regulations by failing to release documents within the legally mandated timeframe.

Greenspan’s requests, submitted between 2022 and 2023, sought information about a joint investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS, DEA, and US Attorney’s Offices in the Northern Districts of Indiana and Illinois. The investigation reportedly involved President Tinubu and Abiodun Agbele, focusing on alleged money laundering activities linked to a Chicago heroin ring operating in the early 1990s.

The requested records are said to include charging decisions and other critical details about the investigation. Greenspan’s legal action underscores his determination to uncover the truth behind these allegations, which have long been a subject of speculation.

This court order has intensified scrutiny on President Tinubu, raising questions about the potential implications for his administration. As the agencies prepare to comply with the ruling, the release of these documents could have far-reaching consequences for both Tinubu’s presidency and Nigeria’s political landscape.