FOIA: US Court Refuses Discovery Request Against Tinubu, DCI Group

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

The Columbia District Court in the United States has turned down a motion by Aaron Greenspan seeking limited discovery from President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group in the ongoing litigation under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The district court also rejected a proposed amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief and denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, made this known on Saturday via his X handle, @aonanuga1956, referencing a statement issued in Washington, D.C., on October 30, 2026.

In its October 30 ruling, the court ruled 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 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.

Reacting to the ruling, Attorney Christopher W. Carmichael said the court’s decision had reinforced the need to restrict the proceedings to matters directly relevant to the litigation.

“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.

“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.”

Also commenting, Attorney Oluwole Afolabi, said the rulings had established important procedural boundaries while leaving the underlying FOIA issues before the court.

“The court also denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and rejected a separate request to introduce an amicus brief.

“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,” Afolabi further said.

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