Omokri defends Tinubu vver FBI files, days records do not amount to criminal history

Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has defended President Bola Tinubu amid controversy surrounding efforts to prevent the release of unredacted records from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Omokri argued that having one's name in FBI files does not necessarily mean criminal conduct, stating that FBI maintains extensive records unrelated to criminal activity.

He dismissed claims that Tinubu had a criminal history in the US, pointing out that the FBI has not provided any such records to anyone because none exist. Omokri explained that FBI databases could contain information on individuals for various reasons, such as immigration processes, visa applications, and security screenings. He cautioned against equating requests for access to these records with proof of criminal wrongdoing, stating that such files may include personal biometric, biographical, and financial information.

Omokri also pointed to a February 2003 correspondence between the US Embassy and Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, in which the embassy assured Balogun that there were no criminal records involving Tinubu during his tenure as Lagos State Governor. The former presidential aide invited critics to seek clarification from American diplomatic authorities in Nigeria regarding the authenticity of this document.

The controversy stems from a legal dispute in the US over access to records held by the FBI and DEA, with Tinubu asking a US District Court to reject a request for unredacted versions of the records, arguing that the US Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act protected the documents from public disclosure.