Legal Affairs
Citizen drags U.S. Govt, FBI, DEA, Attorney General, et al to court for refusing to release Tinubu’s criminal file
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Think Computer Corporation, Mr. Aaron Greenspan, has initiated a Federal Civil Lawsuit against the United States Government over refusal to release the criminal file of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Defendants in the suit include the United States Department of State, the United States Attorney General, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The suit, filed at the District Of Columbia District Court with case no. 1:23-cv-01816-BAH, has District Judge Beryl A. Howell, as the presiding judge.
Summons to all seven Defendants have been issued.
Trouble started when Mr. Greenspan and his firm, Think Computer Corporation, under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Cause Section 05 U.S.C. § 552, in an FOIA request dated July 16, 2022, applied to the FBI for information on one Lee Andrew Edwards, referenced in Northern District of Illinois drug case involving Tinubu and Mueez Adegboyega Akande but was refused.
Greenspan specifically requested for “Records from the Northern District of Illinois and/or Northern District of Indiana involving charging decisions for the following individuals:
1. Bola Ahmed Tinubu ***President of Nigeria as of 2/2023
2. Mueez Adegboyega Akande ***Deceased as of 11/16/2022***
Aaron Greenspan
He noted: “Both of these individuals were discussed in the IRS affidavit in Northern District of Illinois Case No. 1:93-cv-04483 as having at least committed the crime of money laundering, but were not charged in Northern District of Indiana Case No. 2:92-cr-00113-RL.
“There is no privacy interest at issue as Tinubu is President of Nigeria as of February 2023 and Akande is deceased. (Date Range for Record Search: From 01/01/1991 To 12/31/1993).”
In his request for Expedite Reason, Greenspan noted that “Mr. Akande was a money laundering associate of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who in February 2023 won the Nigerian presidential election. The election of Mr. Tinubu is the source of considerable public dispute.”
His request was, however, turned down.
Going further, Greenspan made a similar application to the FOIA and Privacy Act Unit of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration.
He requested, in case number: 22-00892-F, the following:
“Any records from the DEA’s Hammond, Indiana or Washington, D.C. offices concerning the Nigerian heroin distribution organization active from approximately 1988 to 1994 or later involving any of the following third parties Tinubu, Bola Ahmed and Edwards, Lee Andrew. This organization is described in a civil forfeiture complaint and IRS CI affidavit in ILND Case No. 1:93-cv-04483. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/1988 To 1/1/1994)”
Again he was turned down despite expressing willingness to pay additional fees and entered the maximum amount he was willing to pay.
The refusal was followed by more applications to other relevant authorities which met similar actions.
Greenspan appealed all rejections up to the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
In the appeals, marked “Re: FOIA request 1553430 / Lee Edwards”, and addressed to “To Whom It May Concern”, he indicated:
“It is clearly in the public interest to disclose records related to Bola Ahmed Tinubu and/or his relative K.O. Tinubu. Mr. Tinubu is a current presidential candidate in Nigeria for the February 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
There is a strong public interest in Nigeria—and among the over 350,000 Nigerian-Americans residing in the United States—who would like to know more information about Mr. Tinubu’s involvement with criminal law enforcement in the United States before he was a presidential candidate. Given that Mr. Tinubu could be elected president of Nigeria, his personal privacy interests are not nearly as strong as the public interest in knowing more about his criminal past.”
His appeals hit a brick wall, regardless.
on March 23, 2023, Aaron Greenspan commenced a similar application on Tinubu and Mueez Adegboyega Akande.
The application similarly went to the offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service.
He noted that Tinubu went ahead and became the president of Nigeria, albeit subject to litigation at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), Akande is widely reported to have died in strange circumstances on or around November 16, 2022 in Nigerian.
Greenspan’s applications, nonetheless, met responses synonymous to those of Lee Andrew Edwards.
He appealed the decisions to the United States Department of State and the United States Attorney General.
In the appeal filed on June 6, 2023, Greenspan wrote:
“Bola Tinubu is now the President of Nigeria as of late May 2023. This FOIA request was denied by the FBI FOIA Office on the grounds that “you have not sufficiently demonstrated that the public’s interest in disclosure (relating to the operations and activities of the government) outweigh the personal privacy interests of [the President of Nigeria].”
“This is frankly ridiculous. According to Wikipedia, “The 2016 American Community Survey estimates that 380,785 U.S. residents report Nigerian ancestry.” In addition, “The 2012-2016 ACS[5] estimates that 277,027 American residents were born in Nigeria.”
“Accordingly, the politics of Nigeria are of interest to hundreds of thousands of Americans at least. Bola Tinubu is not a United States citizen, has never paid United States taxes, does not live in the United States, and is thus not entitled to “personal privacy” under the FOIA statute.
“The subject of his involvement with criminal activities in Chicago in the 1990s, for which there is already a public record of his being interviewed by the FBI in the form of an affidavit in civil court by IRS Special Agent Kevin Moss, is of intense interest in the Nigerian press. See USA v. Acct 263226700, et al, Illinois Northern District Court Case No. 1:93-cv-04483, Document No. 1-1.
“Both in the United States and in Nigeria, there is overwhelming public interest in every word that President Tinubu communicated to the FBI and vice-versa. The government has provided no justification for its boilerplate denial.
“Nor should the federal government be in the business of protecting foreign heads of state from information regarding their criminal activity on U.S. soil.
“Finally, it is clear that these case documents exist because I already specified the case number to search for them in.
“In summary, President Tinubu has no reasonable expectation of privacy in the United States regarding his criminal history as Nigeria’s President, and even if he did, the public interest vastly outweighs his private interest.”
He added:
Bola Tinubu is now the President of Nigeria. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are interested in these materials, and the fact that the FBI has handled FOIA requests about President Tinubu has been the subject of articles in the Nigerian press.
“I run PlainSite, a website that is dedicated to publishing government materials free of charge. As PlainSite’s operator, I can attest that these materials would be of intense public interest and are also time-sensitive given President Tinubu’s control of the Nigerian military and government organs.
“I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the foregoing is true and correct.”
Regarding his appeal against DEA’s decision, Greenspan stated:
“DEA denied this FOIA request citing “Exemptions 6 & 7(C)” and refusing to admit that records exist. Yet these exemptions cannot and do not apply, and the records clearly exist because Illinois Northern District Court Case No. 1:93-cv-04483 Document 1-1, the Affidavit of IRS CI Agent Kevin Moss, states as such.
“FOIA Exemptions 6 & 7(C) are inapplicable for two reasons. First, Lee Andrew Edwards is dead, with the Bureau of Prisons confirming his death on June 9, 2003. His privacy interests are no longer at issue. See USDOJ document “FOIA UPDATE: FOIA COUNSELOR: EXEMPTION 6 AND EXEMPTION 7(C): STEP-BY-STEP DECISIONMAKING” (“To qualify, the information must involve the privacy interest of an identifiable, ***living*** person.”).
“Second, Bola Tinubu is a current presidential candidate in the nation of Nigeria. Accordingly he has no legitimate privacy interest in this material. To the extent he might it is overwhelmingly outweighed by the public interest in his history with narcotrafficking.”
Needless to say, again, the appeals met a brick wall.
Having exhausted all avenues for redress, Greenspan filed the suit on June 23, 2023, at the District Of Columbia District Court with case no. 1:23-cv-01816-BAH.
See a copy of the court document below:
The date of the hearing is yet to be communicated.
Reacting to the intrigues involved in the applications and the denials, as well as the appeals and the refusals, a legal luminary, who pleaded anonymity, wondered the interest of the United States in this matter.
“What is the United States’ interest in a matter involving Tinubu? Why are they shielding his record?
“Why is the United States bent on frustrating investigations into the matter involving Tinubu?
“What are they hiding from Nigerians?” he asked.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to raise serious concerns and apply pressure on the developments in the United States and figure out what their interest is and why they are shielding Tinubu. Read more.
—
©Copyright 2023 News Band
(If you would like to receive CURRENT NEWS updates from News Band on WhatsApp, or Telegram, or wish to send eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to elstimmy@gmail.com and we will respond instantly. Follow us on twitter @News Band; like our Facebook page: News Band.)
Continue Reading
Relatives of the 13 wedding guests killed in Plateau State have condemned the State High Court’s decision to release 20 suspects on bail.
The victims were brutally murdered on June 12, 2025, when a mob attacked their bus in Mangun district, Mangu Local Government Area.
They were traveling from Kaduna State to attend a wedding in Qua’an Pan LGA before tragedy struck.
According to reports, the group lost their way and entered a volatile community already shaken by recent terrorist activity.
Local youths allegedly mistook them for bandits and launched a deadly assault, leaving 13 people dead on the spot.
Following the killings, security operatives arrested 21 suspects.
In an earlier court sitting, 20 of them were remanded at the Jos Correctional Center while investigations continued.
However, on Wednesday, August 20, Justice Nafisa Lawal Musa granted bail after a motion filed by defence counsel, Garba Pwul (SAN).
This ruling has triggered outrage among the families of the victims, who insist the development is a slap in the face of justice.
Mallam Abdullahi Tahir Balami, a relative of one of the deceased, condemned the court’s action.
Speaking to reporters, he described the ruling as suspicious and raised concerns about possible foul play.
“With this development, we are now questioning the commitment of the Plateau State government to justice,” Balami said.
“It is saddening that suspects in a multiple homicide case can be released on bail.”
Another relative, Mallam Ubale Anguwar Dantsoho, who lost several family members, also expressed anger.
He described the decision as shocking and warned that justice may never be served.
“How can suspects in a murder case be granted bail?” he asked. “It shows that our system is failing us.”
Maryam Usman, widow of the driver killed in the massacre, expressed her heartbreak.
She said she struggled to understand why suspects linked to such a crime would be freed.
“What kind of court is this?” she asked in despair. “Instead of justice, the court dashed our hopes. We no longer believe justice will come.”
Her words echoed the feelings of many families now convinced that the judiciary has abandoned them.
Human rights activists are also calling for urgent intervention from both the state and federal governments to ensure accountability.
The Plateau killings have become one of the most disturbing tragedies in recent months.
The case now highlights the growing tension between grieving families and a judicial system accused of ignoring victims.
The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has upheld the Federal High Court’s decision dismissing former Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle’s challenge over the confiscation of over 40 official vehicles seized from his residence after he left office in 2023.
Delivering its unanimous verdict on August 8, 2025, a three-member panel led by Justice A.M. Talba ruled that Matawalle failed to provide credible evidence proving personal ownership of the vehicles.
The court emphasized that the vehicles were government property, not private assets, and rejected his claim that the seizure violated his fundamental property rights.
According to Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal’s spokesman, Sulaiman Idris, the vehicles were recovered in June 2023 after Matawalle and his deputy ignored a five-day ultimatum to return them.
Following their refusal, the state government sought and obtained a court order, enabling police operatives to raid Matawalle’s residence and recover the vehicles.
Initially, Matawalle secured an interim ruling from the Federal High Court in Gusau for the vehicles to be returned to him.
He also filed a separate suit claiming the confiscation breached his fundamental rights.
However, the case was transferred to the Sokoto division of the Federal High Court, which dismissed his claims in December 2023, affirming that the vehicles remained state property.
Dissatisfied with the lower court’s ruling, Matawalle escalated the matter to the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court, however, upheld the Federal High Court’s decision, affirming that the police acted lawfully in investigating the alleged misappropriation and that the state government followed due process in retrieving the vehicles.
The court concluded that Matawalle’s claims lacked merit and could not shield him from investigation or potential prosecution.
The leadership crisis tearing the Labour Party apart appears to have reached a turning point as the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, struck out Julius Abure’s case against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), officially affirming that he is no longer the party’s National Chairman.
The court, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025, dismissed Abure’s suit due to a lack of jurisdiction, aligning with the Supreme Court’s earlier verdict on April 4, 2025 (Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025), which voided all prior recognitions of his leadership.
However, while speaking on the judgment, Senator Nenadi Usman, the party’s Interim National Chairman, described the ruling as a clear victory for the rule of law.
“This decision removes every lingering doubt about Abure’s status. The chapter is closed. It’s time to put distractions behind us and rebuild the Labour Party into the disciplined, people-centred movement Nigerians deserve”, she said.
Also, INEC’s counter-affidavit in the case further solidified the court’s position, stressing that Abure’s tenure, along with that of the National Executive Committee, had expired in June 2024.
The commission also argued that the controversial March 27, 2024 “Nnewi National Convention” was invalid as it violated the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, INEC guidelines, and the Labour Party’s own constitution.
Senator Usman commended the electoral commission for its “clarity, courage, and institutional integrity” in presenting the facts and urged party members to “respect the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the courts.”
With bye-elections on the horizon and the 2027 general elections in sight, this ruling could mark the end of a year-long factional battle that has plagued the party.
The focus now shifts to uniting the Labour Party and preparing for the political challenges ahead.
On August 8, 2025, the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, upheld NNPC Ltd.’s appeal against the Federal High Court’s April 2023 judgement that annulled Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s removal as non-executive Chairman of the NNPC Board and awarded him ₦5 billion in damages.
The Court of Appeal’s judgement spares NNPC Ltd a massive financial payout and removes a legal risk that could have invalidated all decisions of the Board since 2021.
The Appeal Court agreed to NNPC Ltd.’s position that the Federal High Court’s earlier decision was delivered in error, noting amongst others, that the claim was statute-barred.
This decision of the Court of Appeal secures governance stability for NNPC Ltd., sets a corporate governance precedent in Nigerian law, and upholds the validity of Board resolutions critical to the oil and gas industry’s investment and policy direction.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday cleared Miss Comfort Emmason of all charges related to unruly behavior and assaulting the flight crew aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos.
Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami struck out the five-count charge following the withdrawal of the case by the police prosecution team.
During the hearing, prosecutor Oluwabunmi Adeitan informed the court of new developments that led to the decision to discontinue the case.
She submitted a formal application for its withdrawal, which the court accepted, effectively bringing the matter to a close.
-
Celebrity/Entertainment2 days agoHow Nigerian TikToker Geh Geh Made ₦45 Million in One Night
-
Featured6 days agoYour Attacks on Peter Obi Are Petty, Stop It! Chekwas Rebukes Soludo
-
News5 days agoTension in Anambra community as senior police officer shoots kinsman dead
Colleagues, others try cover-up; victim's family fights back
-
News6 days agoNigerian visa applicants must provide 5-yr social media history — US embassy
-
News4 days agoTerrorist Organisation: APC, PDP Members in US, UK, France Risk Deportation
-
Celebrity/Entertainment6 days agoWhy single mothers can’t raise boys into proper men — Jim Iyke
-
News3 days agoVandal electrocuted while vandalizing Aba power infrastructure
-
News3 days ago15% of Nigerian girls aged 15–19 are mothers or pregnant — FG
-
News2 days agoPeter Obi’s Son Breaks Silence Over His Viral Photos Nigerians Are Talking About
-
News2 days ago
I’m not a gay — Obi’s son Oseloka speaks on viral picture