The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked a US court to allow it to keep some records concerning an old investigation linked to President Bola Tinubu from public disclosure, citing the need to protect law-enforcement methods and the safety of individuals.
The request was contained in a motion filed on August 20 at the US District Court for the District of Columbia, where the FBI asked to privately provide the judge with additional details supporting its decision to withhold parts of the records.
The agency wants to submit the explanation ex parte and in camera, meaning the material would be presented directly to the judge without being made available as part of the public court record.
The FBI argued that a public explanation would itself risk revealing information that it is seeking to protect. It said some of the withheld material could disclose investigative procedures and techniques used by law-enforcement authorities, while other information could expose people to threats to their physical safety.
The filing was publicised on X by Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm recently retained by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
