Nigeria: Tinubu Has No Fbi Criminal Record, Reno Omokri Insists

What the report says

Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, has rejected claims that President Bola Tinubu has a criminal record with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Speaking on Channels Television’s "Sunday Politics," as reported by Leadership and distributed by AllAfrica, Omokri said critics were conflating ordinary FBI records with criminal files, and argued that many people have some form of FBI record through visa or background checks.

Omokri said no U.S. authority had stated that Tinubu had an FBI criminal record. He also referred to a document he said reflected an FBI National Crime Information Center check from the early 1990s, which he said came back negative for criminal arrest records or warrants. In addition, he pointed to a date of birth listed in the document, saying it matched the president’s publicly stated age.

The remarks come amid continuing political debate in Nigeria over Tinubu’s background and requests for the release of U.S.-related records connected to him. Omokri argued that the existence of an FBI file should not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing, and said the question of public disclosure should be separate from whether any criminal history exists.

His comments also touched on privacy concerns, with Omokri suggesting such records can include sensitive personal information. The broader dispute reflects the scrutiny surrounding Tinubu’s past in the United States, although the published report does not independently verify the contents of the documents discussed.