Presidency Confirms President Tinubu Is Not Facing Criminal Case in US

The Presidency has dismissed reports that President Bola Tinubu is facing a criminal case in the United States, saying the matter before a Washington, DC, court is a civil dispute over access to government records.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday, September 3, 2026.

Onanuga said American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan filed the case under the US Freedom of Information Act after requesting records from several US government agencies.

He explained that Tinubu was later allowed to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor to protect his privacy interests in the records being sought.

According to Onanuga, the case began with FOIA requests in 2022 before Greenspan filed Civil Action No. 23-1816 in 2023.

He stressed that the matter is not a criminal trial against Tinubu and that no US court has found the Nigerian President guilty of any criminal wrongdoing.