A Washington-based lobbying firm retained by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says it has begun distributing U.S. Department of Justice records relating to President Bola Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case to members of the Trump administration, Congress and senior congressional staff, describing the move as part of its lobbying engagement.
A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., has announced that it has begun submitting documents relating to the decades-old U.S. civil forfeiture case involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to members of the Donald Trump administration, the U.S. Congress, and senior congressional staff.
The Washington-based firm, which was hired by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the documents include more than 60 pages of U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) records, court filings, affidavits and judicial decisions connected to the 1993 civil forfeiture proceedings.
Lobbying firm explains move
In a statement published on its official X account, the firm said the documents were being shared after discussions with officials in the Trump administration and members of Congress.
According to the firm, the objective is to ensure that American policymakers have access to the historical court records before any future engagements between President Tinubu and U.S. officials.
The firm claimed that many officials it engaged were previously unfamiliar with the historical case.
Background to the 1993 forfeiture case
The documents relate to a 1993 civil forfeiture case filed by the U.S. Department of Justice concerning funds in bank accounts linked to Mr Tinubu during a heroin trafficking investigation involving other individuals.
The matter was a civil forfeiture proceeding, not a criminal prosecution.
Court records show that the case ended with a settlement under which a portion of the funds was forfeited to the U.S. government. President Tinubu has consistently denied involvement in drug trafficking and has never been convicted of any drug-related offence in the United States.
Atiku’s lobbying contract
Von Batten-Montague-York was retained by Atiku Abubakar under a 12-month lobbying agreement reportedly worth $1.2 million.
According to previous disclosures filed in the United States, the firm’s responsibilities include facilitating engagements with U.S. policymakers, strengthening Atiku’s international profile and presenting his positions on issues concerning Nigeria-U.S. relations.
Presidency yet to respond
As of the time of publication, the Presidency had not issued a fresh official response to the lobbying firm’s latest announcement.
The documents being circulated are historical court records that have been publicly available for years and have previously featured in political debates surrounding President Tinubu. No new criminal charges or legal proceedings against the Nigerian President have been announced by U.S. authorities.
Political implications
The development comes as political activities ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election intensify.
Analysts say the lobbying effort reflects the growing international dimension of the country’s political contest, although it remains unclear whether the circulation of the documents will have any policy or diplomatic consequences in Washington.