“‘May Wisdom Prevail’ — Purported Tinubu Letter Pleads With Trump Over FBI Records”
By Passman Akpos
A purported letter bearing the name of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and dated September 19, 2026, has surfaced online, allegedly appealing to United States President Donald Trump to exercise caution over the possible release of FBI records relating to him.
The document, addressed to Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., is titled: “The Release of My FBI Case Must Be Handled with Caution.”
However, the authenticity of the document has not been independently established, and there has been no verified public confirmation from the Nigerian Presidency or the White House that the letter was actually sent.
In the purported correspondence, Tinubu allegedly tells Trump that renewed discussions surrounding the possible release of records relating to his name from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have generated significant attention in Nigeria and abroad.
The letter states that the matter could affect not only Tinubu personally but also Nigeria’s diplomatic relationship with the United States.
“I respectfully appeal that you, and the relevant American authorities, carefully consider all legal processes, privacy laws and diplomatic sensitivities before any such records are made public,” the purported letter reads.
It further urges authorities to allow legal procedures to take their course.
“Let due process take its course. Let the law be followed. Let every legitimate concern be addressed through the appropriate institutions,” the document states.
According to the purported letter, releasing the records could potentially result in information being “misinterpreted, misused and exploited for political purposes.”
The document allegedly argues that such a development could have consequences beyond Tinubu personally and potentially affect Nigeria’s interests.
“The release of such information, especially at this time, could be misinterpreted, misused and exploited for political purposes, not only against me, but also against the good people of Nigeria and the positive progress we are making in our partnership with the United States,” it states.
The purported letter also presents Tinubu as seeking to preserve Nigeria-U.S. relations, with an assurance that his administration remains committed to strengthening economic, security and diplomatic cooperation between both countries.
“I assure you that my administration remains committed to deepening Nigeria-U.S. relations, strengthening economic cooperation and working together for a more stable, prosperous and secure world,” the document says.
It further allegedly appeals to the FBI and other relevant U.S. agencies to exercise restraint and consider the broader diplomatic implications before releasing information concerning him.
The document concludes by warning that the relationship between Nigeria and the United States should not be damaged by the release of records that could allegedly be misunderstood or taken out of context.
AUTHENTICITY QUESTION HANGS OVER DOCUMENT
The emergence of the purported letter comes against the backdrop of an existing U.S. legal and political controversy involving records relating to Tinubu.
Tinubu has previously corresponded with Trump. In July 2026, Trump publicly acknowledged receiving a letter from the Nigerian president, describing it as a “thoughtful letter.” That establishes that direct correspondence between the two presidents has occurred.
However, that earlier confirmed correspondence does not establish the authenticity of the September 19 document now circulating online.
As of publication, there has been no publicly verified confirmation establishing that the September 19 letter was sent by Tinubu or received by Trump.
The distinction is significant because the underlying FBI/FOIA controversy is real, while the authenticity of this particular document remains unresolved
WHAT THE PURPORTED LETTER IS ASKING FOR
If authentic, the document would represent a direct appeal from the Nigerian president to the U.S. president for caution concerning the publication of records relating to him.
The purported letter does not explicitly ask that the records be permanently destroyed or that the law be disregarded.
Instead, it repeatedly invokes due process, privacy laws, legal procedures and diplomatic sensitivities.
It also argues that information released from government records could be taken out of context or used for political purposes.
But because the document itself remains unverified, those statements should be attributed to the purported letter and not presented as confirmed statements made by President Tinubu.
WHY THE DOCUMENT IS ATTRACTING ATTENTION
The alleged correspondence is likely to generate intense public debate because it directly connects the Nigerian presidency, Donald Trump and the long-running controversy surrounding U.S. records relating to Tinubu.
Questions are now likely to focus on whether the document originated from the Nigerian Presidency, whether it was formally transmitted to the White House and whether the United States government received it.
Until those questions are answered by authoritative sources, the document remains a subject of verification rather than an authenticated presidential communication.
Tarakirivoice will continue to monitor developments and update this report if the Nigerian Presidency, White House or another authoritative institution confirms or rejects the document.
