A US lobbying firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that its founder, Dr Karl Von Batten, was offered $3 million to stop a campaign concerning claims about President Bola Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records. Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. disclosed the allegation in a statement published on its X account, claiming that the offer […]
A US lobbying firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that its founder, Dr Karl Von Batten, was offered $3 million to stop a campaign concerning claims about President Bola Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. disclosed the allegation in a statement published on its X account, claiming that the offer came from a highly placed individual whom the firm was told had links to the Nigerian President.
The firm said the alleged approach also included an invitation for Von Batten to attend a confidential meeting in London, with the reported objective of persuading him to discontinue the campaign.
According to the company, the campaign centres on allegations concerning purported heroin-trafficking records involving Tinubu. The claims, however, remain allegations and have not been established as facts by a court or relevant authority.
Von Batten-Montague-York said its founder rejected the alleged $3 million offer and retained copies of the communications connected to the approach. It said Von Batten subsequently contacted members of Atiku’s campaign to determine whether the alleged intermediary had any genuine connection to Tinubu.
The company also alleged that attempts to discredit its founder began after the reported offer was rejected. It said the communications would be submitted to US authorities, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for review.
The allegation has prompted a forceful response from the Nigerian Presidency. Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, dismissed the claims and questioned Von Batten’s authority to present its assertions as information originating from the US government.
Dare described Von Batten as a commercial lobbyist and founder of Von Batten-Montague-York, rejecting any suggestion that he was an official of the US government. He also challenged those behind the allegations to produce documentary evidence and identify the unnamed sources cited in their claims.
The Presidential aide argued that the material being presented contained no intelligence document or evidence of any exchange involving Nigerian secrets or resources. He described the claims as political speculation packaged as classified information.
Dare also drew attention to the lobbying firm’s relationship with Atiku, saying US Foreign Agents Registration Act filings showed that the former Vice President had retained Von Batten-Montague-York for $1.2 million over 12 months.
He alleged that the engagement was connected to efforts to counter the Nigerian government’s narrative and deploy historical US legal records for political purposes ahead of the 2027 election.
The Presidency further questioned claims about Von Batten’s access to President Donald Trump and his administration, as well as suggestions that the lobbyist could influence US legal proceedings.
Von Batten-Montague-York, however, stood by its allegation, saying the communications relating to the alleged $3 million offer had been preserved and would be made available to US authorities.
The firm concluded its statement by addressing Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress and their associates, saying it had rejected the alleged offer.
As of the time of the report, the claim that $3 million was offered to the firm to halt its campaign, and the assertion that the alleged intermediary was connected to Tinubu, had not been independently verified.
The broader allegations concerning Tinubu’s alleged past also remain unproven, while the Presidency’s claims about Atiku’s engagement with the lobbying firm are part of the continuing political dispute. Dare, however, maintained that his assertions were supported by US FARA filings.