Tinubu’s US Case Takes Fresh Twist as Lobby Firm Leaks New Documents

A fresh development has emerged in the United States legal battle over records relating to President Bola Tinubu’s past, following a court filing that has raised questions about Nigeria’s engagement of an American lobbying firm.

The filing, submitted by US transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, alleges that the Nigerian government pays DCI Group AZ, LLC, an affiliate associated with Washington-based public affairs firm DCI Group, $750,000 monthly.

The claim was contained in a document Greenspan submitted on October 8, 2026, in support of his request to pursue limited discovery in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving records held by US government agencies.

The case concerns documents connected to an alleged investigation involving Tinubu in the early 1990s and a civil forfeiture proceeding involving approximately $460,000 linked to accounts associated with him.

Greenspan is seeking additional information relating to the records, the litigation and alleged cyberattacks affecting his PlainSite website. His proposed discovery request seeks information involving Tinubu and DCI Group AZ.

The filing also alleges that an account managed by the DCI affiliate published a post targeting Greenspan on August 5, 2026. However, the document does not establish that the Nigerian government directed or financed the alleged online attack or that the reported payments were connected to it.

The development comes amid a wider dispute over the release of historical records held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Tinubu has opposed the disclosure of some materials, arguing that privacy protections under US law apply.

In August, US authorities acknowledged holding an investigative file relating to Tinubu and released hundreds of pages of partially redacted records. The continuing dispute centres on whether additional documents should be disclosed and how much information should remain withheld.

Tinubu has not been criminally charged in connection with the 1990s civil forfeiture case. The Presidency has maintained that the matter was civil rather than criminal and had been settled.

The latest filing adds another dimension to the legal dispute, but its allegations remain claims presented in court and should not be treated as established findings.