Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s legal challenge against the public release of his US FBI records, arguing that the controversy should be viewed through the lens of transparency and public accountability.
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The debate follows recent court filings in which Tinubu’s lawyers asked a US federal court to reject a request for the release of unredacted records held by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The legal team argued that US privacy and Freedom of Information laws restrict the disclosure of the documents and that the request does not establish a legally recognised public interest.
The records have attracted renewed attention because of longstanding questions surrounding a 1990s US civil forfeiture case involving money held in accounts linked to Tinubu. Nigerian courts have previously noted that the proceedings did not establish that Tinubu was arrested, convicted or sentenced for a criminal offence in the United States.
Critics, however, argue that additional US law-enforcement records could provide further information about the historical allegations. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has separately called on US authorities to release any records that can legally be disclosed while protecting confidential sources, investigators and legitimate law-enforcement methods.
Omokri’s comments come amid renewed political debate over Tinubu’s background and the transparency of public officials as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
The controversy remains politically charged, with supporters of greater disclosure demanding transparency while Tinubu’s legal team maintains that US law does not require the release of the requested records simply because they concern Nigeria’s sitting president.