In a shocking revelation on Monday, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) confirmed that Nigeria’s sitting President, Bola Tinubu, is an active asset of the agency. The confirmation came during a filing in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, where the CIA, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), opposed a civil lawsuit concerning the release of President Tinubu’s drug trafficking investigation records......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The case, which revolves around a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) disclosure, was filed by Nigerian investigative journalist David Hundeyin in collaboration with PlainSite founder Aaron Greenspan. The lawsuit seeks to have certain redactions removed from previously released files related to President Tinubu’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
The CIA’s confirmation of Tinubu as an “active asset” was made clear in a memorandum filed in the ongoing case. While the agency did not provide further details about the nature of Tinubu’s work with them, the acknowledgment marked a significant moment in the ongoing legal and political drama. The CIA, under normal circumstances, is known for using the “We can neither confirm nor deny” strategy when discussing the involvement of individuals in intelligence operations, but in this case, it made an explicit admission.
The document also highlighted the CIA’s opposition to the redactions requested by Hundeyin and Greenspan. According to the CIA, releasing full, unredacted information about Tinubu’s ties to the agency would violate privacy rights, a stance that was supported by the DEA. The agencies argued that while Nigerians have the right to be informed about government activities, they do not have the right to access sensitive information about the president’s involvement in international drug trafficking investigations.
In their joint filing, the DEA echoed the CIA’s position, asserting that the redacted information should not be disclosed. The DEA’s statement read: “We oppose full, unredacted disclosure of the DEA’s Bola Tinubu heroin trafficking investigation records because we believe that while Nigerians have a right to be informed about what their government is up to, they do not have a right to know what their president is up to.” This stance further complicates the ongoing legal battle over whether the public should have access to the full scope of Tinubu’s alleged past activities.
The confirmation of President Tinubu as a CIA asset has raised numerous questions about the relationship between the U.S. intelligence community and Nigerian leadership. While the full details of this relationship remain murky, experts suggest that Tinubu’s position as an asset could be leveraged to influence key political, social, and economic outcomes in Nigeria, a country that has long held strategic importance for the United States in Africa.
This new revelation comes at a time when Nigeria’s economy is grappling with challenges. Once ranked as West Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria has seen its position slip in recent years, and as of April 2024, it was ranked fourth in the region. With Nigeria’s political and economic landscape in flux, Tinubu’s ties to powerful international actors such as the CIA could have wide-reaching implications for both domestic and global policy.
The civil lawsuit filed by Hundeyin and Greenspan seeks greater transparency from U.S. authorities regarding President Tinubu’s past, particularly his alleged involvement in a heroin trafficking case. The case, which began in 2022-2023, has garnered significant attention, with many Nigerians and international observers demanding accountability and full disclosure of the details surrounding the president’s past.
As the lawsuit progresses, the government of Nigeria, along with Tinubu’s legal team, has remained largely silent on the matter. The president’s office has not yet issued a statement in response to the latest developments. However, this legal case highlights a growing tension between transparency and national security, as both Nigerian citizens and international observers seek clarity on the extent of Tinubu’s alleged past involvement in drug-related activities.
For now, the legal battle over the release of Tinubu’s records continues, with the CIA and DEA standing firm in their opposition to full disclosure. As the case unfolds, the public may learn more about the complex web of international relations and intelligence operations that intersect with the highest levels of Nigeria’s government. This case serves as a reminder of the often-hidden ties that shape global politics and the impact such revelations can have on national governance.