US Court Issues FBI September Deadline To Justify Keeping

A United States federal court has given the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) until September 18, 2026, to justify keeping certain records connected to an old investigation involving President Bola Tinubu from public disclosure.

The deadline followed an application by the FBI seeking to keep documents linked to allegations of drug trafficking involving Tinubu from being released to the public.

Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the latest schedule on Friday, directing the agency to file its final response by September 18.

The court also set August 28 as the deadline for the defendants and an intervenor to respond to the plaintiff’s motion, while the plaintiff’s opposition and reply are due by September 11.

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Washington-based lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York said the FBI would have to persuade the court that the records contain sufficiently sensitive information to justify withholding them from the public.

The firm, which was recently retained by African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, said the FBI’s request for a private review suggested that the documents could contain sensitive material.

However, the allegations and claims referenced by the firm remain contested, and the court has yet to determine whether the records should be released.

The case has renewed public attention on the longstanding investigation involving Tinubu, with the September deadlines expected to provide further clarity on whether the disputed FBI records could eventually be made public.