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A United States federal court has rejected a motion seeking limited discovery from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and consulting firm DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit.
The US District Court for the District of Columbia issued the ruling on October 30, according to a statement released by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
The litigation was initiated by Aaron Greenspan, who sought to compel the release of records from US agencies.
In the latest development, the court determined that Greenspan’s proposed discovery regarding alleged cyberattacks on his website was not sufficiently relevant to the core FOIA dispute, which involves the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
“The Court’s decision makes clear that this Freedom of Information Act proceeding cannot be used to pursue discovery unrelated to the legal questions before it,” said attorney Christopher W. Carmichael.
“By denying the request for discovery against President Tinubu and DCI Group, the Court reinforced the importance of keeping this litigation focused on the issues properly before it.”
In addition to blocking the discovery request, the court denied a separate motion by nonparty Karl Von Batten seeking permission to file an amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief.
Greenspan’s related request for judicial notice was also rejected.
“The Court also denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgement and rejected a separate request to introduce an amicus brief,” said Attorney Oluwole Afolabi.
“While the underlying FOIA issues remain before the Court, these rulings establish important procedural boundaries and clarify which matters are appropriate for consideration in this litigation.”
PRESS STATEMENT
Federal Court Denies Discovery Request Against President Tinubu and DCI Group in FOIA Litigation
Court also rejects proposed amicus brief and denies plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 30, 2026 — The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has denied a motion by Aaron Greenspan seeking limited discovery from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group in ongoing litigation under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
In its October 30 ruling, the Court determined that the proposed discovery concerning alleged cyberattacks on Greenspan’s website was not sufficiently relevant to the underlying FOIA dispute involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
“The Court’s decision makes clear that this Freedom of Information Act proceeding cannot be used to pursue discovery unrelated to the legal questions before it,” said attorney Christopher W. Carmichael. “By denying the request for discovery against President Tinubu and DCI Group, the Court reinforced the importance of keeping this litigation focused on the issues properly before it.”
The Court also denied a separate motion by nonparty Karl Von Batten seeking permission to file an amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief, as well as Greenspan’s related request for judicial notice.
Additionally, the Court denied Greenspan’s motion for summary judgment.
“The Court also denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and rejected a separate request to introduce an amicus brief,” said Attorney Oluwole Afolabi. “While the underlying FOIA issues remain before the Court, these rulings establish important procedural boundaries and clarify which matters are appropriate for consideration in this litigation.”
— Bayo Onanuga, OON, CON (@aonanuga1956) October 31, 2026
