(DDM) – Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approached a United States court to prevent the release of personal records held by American law enforcement agencies.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Tinubu’s legal team filed a motion on September 4, 2025, before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The motion seeks to enforce an earlier ruling that allowed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to withhold certain sensitive documents.
Tinubu, through his lead counsel Wole Afolabi and other attorneys, argued that the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by American activist Aaron Greenspan were intrusive.
The president’s lawyers said Greenspan’s demands were aimed at exposing private details of Tinubu’s past, rather than examining the conduct of U.S. agencies.
The filing urged the court to uphold exemptions provided under the U.S. Privacy Act and FOIA Exemption 7(C).
This exemption protects law enforcement records from being disclosed if such release would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Tinubu’s lawyers stressed that the documents in question fall under this protection and should remain sealed.
They argued that the FOIA law was designed to promote transparency in government operations, not to scrutinise the personal history of private individuals.
The motion emphasised that revealing Tinubu’s personal information would set a dangerous precedent and infringe on his privacy rights.
Observers note that the legal tussle follows longstanding controversies surrounding Tinubu’s alleged involvement in past drug-related investigations in the U.S.
Critics argue that the attempt to keep the files secret reinforces suspicions about his background and undermines public confidence.
Supporters, however, contend that the president is entitled to the same legal protections as any other citizen under U.S. law.
They insist that the FOIA process should not be used as a political weapon to target Tinubu’s personal history.
Activist Aaron Greenspan, who filed the FOIA requests, has been vocal about his belief that transparency demands full disclosure.
He maintains that the public has a right to access documents related to Tinubu, given his role as Nigeria’s head of state.
The case is expected to spark renewed debate in Nigeria, where questions about Tinubu’s past have remained politically sensitive.
Analysts say the outcome could have implications for the president’s image abroad and his political capital at home.
For now, the U.S. court is yet to deliver a ruling on Tinubu’s latest motion, leaving both critics and supporters awaiting the decision.