Tinubu’s FBI Records: Reno Omokri Reveals Why President Opposes Release

Former presidential aide and Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has offered his interpretation of President Bola Tinubu’s opposition to the public release of his records held by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The development follows a legal filing in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, where Tinubu’s lawyers asked the court to reject a request seeking the release of unredacted records relating to the President held by US law-enforcement agencies. The request was reportedly filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan under the US Freedom of Information Act. According to reports, Tinubu’s legal team argued that the requested records were protected under the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act. The lawyers also maintained that there was no sufficient public interest to justify the release of the documents. They further argued that the request was motivated by political interests and sought private information concerning the Nigerian President. The issue has generated renewed public interest because of Tinubu’s long-running controversy over his past dealings and records in the United States. The controversy dates back to the 1990s and became particularly prominent during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. At the centre of the debate was a US civil forfeiture case involving about $460,000 linked to accounts associated with Tinubu. The US authorities had alleged that the funds were connected to narcotics trafficking or prohibited financial transactions. However, the All Progressives Congress maintained that the matter was a civil forfeiture proceeding and did not amount to a criminal conviction. During the 2023 presidential election litigation, the Presidential Election Petition Court also held that the petitioners had failed to establish that Tinubu had been arrested, arraigned, convicted or sentenced in a criminal case in the United States. Despite this, calls for the release of additional US records relating to the President have continued. Omokri, who has since become a vocal supporter of Tinubu and is set to serve as Nigeria’s ambassador to Mexico, has now weighed in on the latest development. His comments are particularly notable because he was previously a strong critic of Tinubu. In 2023, Omokri publicly alleged that Tinubu was involved in drug-related activities and claimed to possess documents supporting his position. He later withdrew those claims, saying he had discovered they were untrue. PUNCH previously reported his clarification during the trial of activist Omoyele Sowore. The latest dispute over the FBI records has therefore reopened an old political controversy, with supporters and critics of the President interpreting the legal battle differently. For now, the court is yet to order the release of the requested records, while Tinubu’s legal team continues to challenge the disclosure request.