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WASHINGTON, D.C. / ABUJA — In a major escalation of the Freedom of Information Act litigation in Washington, U.S. lobbyist Dr. Karl Von Batten has initiated steps to file an amicus curiae brief aimed at dismantling President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s privacy objections regarding his U.S. law enforcement records. The proposed submission before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia directly responds to a public clarification issued by the Nigerian Presidency regarding the ongoing lawsuit.
In a formal court notice submitted pursuant to local civil rules, Von Batten notified Plaintiff Aaron Greenspan, the U.S. Department of Justice, and President Tinubu’s legal counsel of his intent to seek leave from Judge Beryl A. Howell to intervene as a friend of the court. The upcoming motion argues that while a third party’s personal privacy is generally protected under federal law enforcement exemptions, President Tinubu’s privacy claims have been severely undermined by his own administration’s decision to address the records, litigation, and underlying allegations through an official Statehouse statement. The brief contends that a foreign head of state cannot invoke U.S. federal court protections to keep investigative archives sealed on privacy grounds while simultaneously issuing official public statements commenting on those exact records.
The legal filing follows statements from Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who clarified that the proceedings in Washington represent a standard civil records-disclosure dispute rather than a criminal trial or finding of guilt. The Presidency noted that the FBI and DEA produced a 399-page dossier with standard statutory redactions, while Tinubu’s legal team joined the suit as an intervenor to assert personal privacy rights under Exemption 7(C).
However, Von Batten’s firm argues that the administration’s public commentary effectively puts the contents of those law enforcement archives into the international public sphere, creating a fundamental conflict between the presidency’s public assertions and its courtroom claims. Under the schedule established by Judge Howell, Plaintiff Aaron Greenspan has until September 11, 2026, to file his response, while the federal government and President Tinubu’s legal team have until September 18, 2026, to respond. The federal court will evaluate the proposed amicus submission alongside its ongoing judicial review of the redacted dossier to determine what materials must legally remain sealed or be made public.
