In a legal development that has attracted new attention to the accusation that has long been for decades, the Federal Investigation Bureau (FBI) and the Administration of Narcotics Enforcement (DEA) have jointly requested an extension of 90 days from the United States District Court to produce documents related to the request of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) involving President Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The bodies submitted a request on Thursday before the US District Court for the Columbia District, quoting an ongoing search for documents that were not excluded and could be released. This case, which is being tried by Judge Beryl Howell, emerged from the FOIA application proposed by American law activists and Transparency Advocate Aaron Greenspan, founder of the Plains We website.
Greenspan’s request was centered on records related to the investigation of drug trafficking in Chicago in the early 1990s. President Tinubu, who has long denied making mistakes, was named in the submission of Greenspan with three other people: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.
In the joint status report submitted to the court, the FBI and DEA stated that they had begun to look for “a responsive, not excluded part, and could be separated naturally” related to Greenspan’s request. However, they indicate that completing the process will require three additional months.
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This request came even though the court mandate issued in early April which required the two institutions to provide status updates to the production of documents on May 2. FOIA request reference to four case files (FBI No. 1588244-000 and 1593615-000; DEA No. No. below. Confirming or denying the existence of relevant material.
Greenspan, in a very high refutation, accused the agency of deliberately stopping the process. He urged the court to force the release of documents in a few days – not the month.
“Given the delay for years that have been caused by the defendants and the fact that many responsive documents have been identified,” Greenspan wrote, “the plaintiff suggested that the FBI and DEA completed their search and production next week.”
He also requested that the placement version of the place that had been placed immediately released, and insisted that the final collection of documents was submitted no later than two weeks from now. Greenspan sought a replacement for $ 440.22 in submitting and shipping costs, and stated that the agency had failed to justify the delay.
The government agencies, meanwhile, have proposed that the subsequent joint status update was submitted on July 31, while Greenspan pushed a tighter deadline on May 31.
This case remains a focal point for supporters of government transparency, especially given the political sensitivity around the foreign president who sits. Although there are no criminal accusations submitted against Tinubu in connection with these documents, public supervision of the past continues to overshadow its political narrative.
The final decision regarding extension requests is waiting before Judge Howell.
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