A United States federal judge has granted the FBI permission to submit documents related to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged drug-trafficking records for private review by the court.
According to an update on the case, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell directed the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration , the U.S. Department of Justice , and President Tinubu to file their opposition to the release of the records by August 28, 2026, “and no later.”
The development means the court will privately examine the documents before determining whether they should be released publicly.
FBI’s request for confidential judicial review indicates that the records contain highly sensitive information. It further alleges that the material may involve information concerning drug trafficking investigations and confidential sources.
However, the claims about what the documents contain and what they may establish remain allegations at this stage. A court’s decision to review records privately does not, by itself, establish that President Tinubu engaged in drug trafficking or that any allegation against him is true.
Drug Trafficking case has attracted renewed attention following the change in the U.S. administration, with the parties involved now expected to present their arguments before the court’s August 28 deadline.
The development also contrasts, according to the update, with the position previously attributed to the Biden administration, which was accused of resisting efforts to obtain the records.
US court’s latest order is expected to bring the long-running dispute closer to a decision on whether the alleged records concerning President Tinubu can be made public.