The Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, Reno Omokri, has dismissed reports claiming that the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released criminal records involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement on his X handle on Monday, Omokri described the reports as misleading, saying FBI records containing Tinubu’s name should not automatically be interpreted as criminal records.
FBI May Hold Non-Criminal Records, Says Omokri
According to him, the FBI maintains billions of non-criminal records on American citizens, residents and foreign nationals through its Central Records Systems and Next Generation Identification database.
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He explained that such records could be generated through background checks conducted for visa applicants and may contain biographical, biometric and other personal information.
“President Bola Tinubu has no criminal record in the United States, Nigeria, or anywhere else, and the FBI has not provided any criminal record on the President to anyone because none exists,” Omokri said.
He acknowledged that the FBI may have records containing Tinubu’s name but insisted that such records were not criminal records.
Omokri Cites 2003 US Embassy Response
Omokri further claimed that the FBI had previously confirmed that it had no criminal records involving Tinubu.
He said that on February 3, 2003, the then Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, wrote to the US Embassy requesting information on any FBI criminal records involving Tinubu, who was then governor of Lagos State.
According to Omokri, the embassy responded the following day, giving what he described as an “all clear” regarding any criminal records involving the former Lagos governor.
‘I Investigated Claims in Chicago’
Omokri said his own investigation in Chicago between September 18 and 20, 2022, also led him to conclude that claims of criminal records against Tinubu were unfounded.
He said he travelled to Chicago as a member of the opposition to investigate claims concerning Tinubu’s academic and other records.
Calls for Verification
Omokri said the document containing the alleged response from the US Embassy could be independently verified by contacting the embassy in Abuja or Lagos.
He urged Nigerians to distinguish between FBI records and criminal records, arguing that the existence of a person’s name in an FBI database does not, by itself, establish criminal conduct.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.