US lobbying firm alleges it was offered $3m to drop President Tinubu’s alleged drug trafficking probe

A United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that it was offered $3 million to abandon its campaign concerning records linked to an alleged drug trafficking probe involving President Bola Tinubu.

The firm made the allegation in a post on its verified X account on Wednesday, claiming that the offer came from a highly placed individual it was told was connected to the Nigerian president.

According to the firm, its leader, Dr Von Batten, rejected the offer and a proposed confidential meeting in London.

The firm said Dr Von Batten preserved copies of the exchanges and contacted members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign of Atiku Abubakar to establish the nature of the individual’s relationship with Tinubu.

“A few days ago, Dr Von Batten received unsolicited offers of $3 million, along with an invitation to a confidential meeting in London, from a highly placed individual whom we have been informed is connected to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu,” the firm stated.

“We believe these offers were an attempt to persuade Dr Von Batten to end our campaign concerning President Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records.

“We have a simple message for President Tinubu, Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, and their associates. Thank you for the offer, but no thanks.”

The firm further alleged that a smear campaign against Dr Von Batten began after the offers were rejected.

It said it would submit the alleged $3 million offer and related communications to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), saying it wanted the appropriate authorities to review the matter and to protect its reputation.

The allegations have not been independently established, and the firm did not publicly identify the individual it claimed made the offer.