FBI Says Its Agents & Informants May Face Risk of Attacks if Tinubu Records Are Released
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has raised concerns that some of its agents and informants could face risks to their safety if certain investigative records relating to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are released.
The bureau made the submission in a court filing before Judge Beryl Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington, DC, in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking access to records relating to Tinubu.
The case followed FOIA requests filed by American transparency activist and lead plaintiff, Aaron Greenspan, who is seeking records concerning allegations and investigations relating to Tinubu’s activities in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.
Greenspan also sought records concerning Tinubu from several US federal agencies, including the FBI, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and immigration authorities.
In its court submission, the FBI argued that releasing some of the requested information could expose individuals who participated in or assisted investigations to possible retaliation from third parties allegedly connected to criminal activities referenced in the records.
The bureau relied, among other provisions, on FOIA Exemption 7(F), which allows agencies to withhold certain law enforcement information where its disclosure could reasonably be expected to endanger an individual’s life or physical safety.
The FBI further argued that releasing the names or other identifying information of certain individuals could potentially place their lives or physical safety at risk.
According to the bureau, some individuals mentioned in the investigative records could regard the information as derogatory or incriminating, while people who provided information or participated in investigations could face potential threats if their identities were disclosed.
The filing followed an order by Judge Howell directing the FBI to explain why records relating to the matter should remain withheld. The judge also permitted the agency to submit its explanation and relevant records privately for the court’s review.
The FBI and other US agencies have previously faced criticism over delays in releasing some of the records sought in connection with the case, including documents relating to a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding involving $460,000 associated with Tinubu that was forfeited to the US government.
The latest court filing centres on the disclosure of government records and the FBI’s stated reasons for withholding portions of the requested material.
The filing does not, by itself, establish that Tinubu committed any criminal offence or wrongdoing. The concerns raised by the FBI relate to the potential consequences of releasing information contained in investigative records and the safety of individuals whose identities may appear in them.
Source: Dailypost