NEWS
U.S Lobbying Firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, Alleges Tinubu Spent Millions to Block Release of Drug-Trafficking Records
A United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, spent millions of dollars in an effort to prevent the release of records connected to allegations surrounding a historical drug-trafficking investigation.
The firm made the allegation in a post published on its verified X handle late Tuesday, raising fresh questions about the ongoing legal battle over documents held by United States law-enforcement agencies.
According to Von Batten-Montague-York, Tinubu’s public position that he was not attempting to block the release of the records appears to contradict actions allegedly taken by his legal team in the ongoing Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, case.
The lobbying firm accused the Nigerian President of petitioning the court and engaging with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, as part of efforts aimed at preventing the records from being made public.
“Despite claiming innocence, Tinubu has spent millions of dollars to ensure that his drug trafficking records are never released.
“The description of the underlying matter is merely a civil case. The involvement of US law-enforcement agencies in the records dispute demonstrated that the matter involved sensitive investigative material,” the firm said.
The allegations have emerged against the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute in the United States over the release of records held by the US Department of Justice, DOJ, FBI and DEA concerning historical investigations involving Tinubu.
The case has continued to attract significant attention, particularly because the documents being sought are linked to decades-old investigations and have become the subject of a prolonged Freedom of Information Act battle.
The legal controversy reportedly took another turn after United States District Judge Beryl Howell granted Donald Trump-appointed attorney, Jeanine Pirro, additional time to release the alleged drug-trafficking records.
It will also be recalled that Tinubu had joined the request of the US Department of Justice for a 10-day extension to respond to a motion seeking the release of records relating to allegations of drug trafficking.
As the legal battle continues, the latest claims by Von Batten-Montague-York are expected to intensify public interest in the case and renew calls for clarity over the nature and eventual release of the disputed records.
The allegations remain part of an ongoing legal and public controversy, with the outcome of the FOIA case expected to determine what records, if any, will ultimately be released to the public.