Top U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the CIA, FBI, and DEA, have filed a memorandum opposing the release of unredacted records related to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, asserting that Nigerians do not have a “right” to unrestricted access to his past records.
The filing came in response to a summary judgment motion by journalist David Hundeyin, who seeks the removal of redactions on documents tied to a past drug trafficking investigation involving Video-CLIP of The ArticleMinutes] Tinubu.
The agencies argued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that full disclosure of the information could compromise U.S. national security, endangering sources and jeopardizing intelligence operations. An excerpt from the CIA’s statement emphasized that cooperating sources trust the CIA to protect their identities, adding that “disclosure of their cooperation” could lead to retaliatory action, affecting both the individuals and their contions.
The DEA further asserted that while Nigerians might have the right to know what theiris doing, they “do not have a right to know what their president is up to.” This opposition underscores the tension between national security interests and the push for transparency regarding Video-CLIP of The ArticleMinutes] President Tinubu’s past.
Hundeyin shared his disappointment, interpreting the stance as a deliberate attempt by the U.S. to obstruct African nations from confronting challenges posed by problematic leadership. He added that this secrecy might perpetuate instability in the region.
