ABUJA — Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, says records of President Bola Tinubu held by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, are not criminal in nature.
Omokri stated this during a _City Boy Movement, CBM_ media podcast with Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, and select journalists.
The former presidential spokesperson drew a distinction between an “FBI record” and an “FBI criminal record,” arguing that the existence of a file does not imply wrongdoing.
According to him, an FBI record can result from routine interactions with US institutions, such as visa applications and background checks.
“There is no criminal FBI record against President Bola Tinubu. There’s nothing like that,” Omokri said.
“I’m going to say something which might probably shake the country. All of the candidates in this election have FBI records. A record is just a record. There’s a difference between a record and a criminal record.”
He explained that under US procedure, anyone who applies for a visa or undergoes background checks automatically generates an FBI file.
“The FBI has a mandate that if anybody applied for an American visa and background checks in the US, you have FBI records. There is a difference between FBI records and FBI criminal records,” he added.
When asked why Tinubu’s camp resisted the release of the documents, Omokri said the files contain sensitive personal data.
“Your FBI record is not just a record of ‘my name is Reno Omokri.’ Your FBI record is going to contain biometrics — your fingerprints, your eye scan. It’s going to contain details about your body, your blood group, your DNA — not in all cases — details about your accounts and family. Who, here, will want that information out?” he asked.
Omokri further stated that those demanding the public release of Tinubu’s FBI records should be willing to subject themselves to the same standard.
His remarks come amid an ongoing US court case seeking the release of FBI investigation records on Tinubu covering the period from 1992 to 1993.
