FBI and DEA Still Hold Back Tinubu Drug Files Ahead of Possible Trump Meeting

More than a year after a judge ordered the release of records linking Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to a U.S. heroin network, the FBI and DEA have not produced any documents, even as Tinubu seeks a meeting with Donald Trump.

A federal judge ordered the FBI and DEA in April 2025 to search for and release any non-exempt records that mention Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in connection with a heroin-trafficking case, after earlier FOIA requests were denied. Over a year later, the agencies have not produced any documents, prompting petitioner Aaron Greenspan to label the process a “farce” and allege deliberate protection of Tinubu’s political interests.

The case stems from a 1993 DOJ civil-forfeiture file uncovered by journalist David Hundeyin, which includes an affidavit by IRS Special Agent Kevin Moss suggesting Tinubu moved large sums through accounts linked to a Chicago heroin ring. While Tinubu has never faced criminal charges, the unresolved records could influence his bid for a meeting with Donald Trump, a summit that Nigerian officials say may occur soon and could affect U.S. aid policies that currently suspend assistance over Nigeria’s handling of extremist violence.

Attorneys for Tinubu have opposed the release on privacy grounds, and the next joint status report is slated for mid-September. The FBI, DEA and the Nigerian embassy have not responded to inquiries.