The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned that releasing some records relating to President Bola Tinubu could endanger the lives or physical safety of individuals, as it seeks permission to privately explain why the documents were withheld.

The FBI made the disclosure in an application filed before the US District Court for the District of Columbia on August 20, asking the court to allow it to submit a confidential declaration explaining its position.

The agency said it could not publicly disclose the full reasons for withholding some of the records because doing so could expose sensitive law-enforcement techniques and procedures.

The FBI is seeking an ex parte, in camera declaration, which would allow it to provide the judge with its explanation privately and under seal.

The records are being sought by Aaron Greenspan, founder of PlainSite, who filed Freedom of Information Act requests for documents relating to Tinubu from 1992 and 1993.

Among the requests is Tinubu’s entire FBI file and interview records connected to an FBI case.

In its application, the FBI said it had invoked several exemptions under the US Freedom of Information Act, including provisions covering personal privacy, confidential sources, law-enforcement techniques and information that could endanger an individual.

The agency said: “The FBI has determined that it cannot provide on the public record the full basis for the application of Exemptions 7(E) and 7(F) to certain withholdings and that, therefore, an ex parte, under seal declaration is necessary.”

The FBI said it would submit the confidential declaration before August 28 if the court grants its request.

The development is the latest step in a prolonged legal dispute over requests for US government records concerning allegations linked to Tinubu and a Chicago drug investigation dating to the early 1990s.

The case began after Greenspan filed multiple FOIA requests with six US federal agencies.

The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies initially refused to confirm or deny whether some of the requested records existed.

However, in April 2025, Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA had failed to sufficiently justify their refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records concerning Tinubu, ordering the agencies to lift their so-called “Glomar” responses.

The latest application comes as the US Department of Justice continues to respond to court orders concerning the records.

Tinubu’s legal team had also sought additional time to respond, but Judge Howell reportedly declined the request for a 10-day extension.

German authorities deported at least 137 Nigerian citizens across five chartered flights between February and June 2026, according to migration monitoring reports.

Data from the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org shows the deportations occurred in phases, with 27 Nigerians returned in February, 37 in March through a joint European Union operation, 24 in April, 23 in May, and 26 in June.

The February operation departed from Stuttgart and landed at Lagos Cargo Airport, with Baden-Württemberg listed as a primary participant. The March operation represented the largest single return of Nigerians recorded over three years and was executed in collaboration with Spain, Austria, and Belgium.

The reports indicate a growing reliance on multi-national chartered flights by European states to repatriate undocumented or non-resident individuals to Nigeria.

The United States has condemned the killing of members of the family of Plateau-based cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, describing the attack as horrific and urging Nigerian authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

In a statement shared on X on Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

“The United States strongly condemns the horrific killing of members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s family in Plateau State, Nigeria. The continued violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is deeply alarming,” the bureau said

The US said it had already engaged Nigerian officials on the worsening security situation, stressing that urgent action was needed to curb recurring attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.

“As I discussed last week with Nigerian officials, we must do more to prevent violent acts. The perpetrators must be held accountable, and urgent action is needed to strengthen security and protect Christians and other vulnerable communities,” the statement added.

The bureau reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that Christians and other Nigerians should be able to practise their faith without fear of violence.

The statement followed the July 12 attack on Kum community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where nine members of Rev. Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed.

According to the cleric, the attackers, believed to be armed Fulani militias, asked for him by name before opening fire on his relatives.

Dachomo, who serves as Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said his family had repeatedly been targeted because of his outspoken criticism of the violence in Plateau State.

He recalled that his grandmother and an uncle were also killed in previous attacks, adding that days after burying his relatives, he received a written death threat from the same group, warning that he would be their next target.