A Washington, D.C.-based Republican policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., has taken historical allegations involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to members of the United States Congress.
The firm said it began briefing members of Congress and senior congressional staff on Wednesday following recent developments in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case concerning records linked to allegations dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.
According to the firm, its discussions with US lawmakers focused on what it described as allegations of heroin trafficking involving Tinubu and the potential implications for US national security, law-enforcement cooperation, intelligence sharing and counter-narcotics efforts.
The lobbying firm argued that the matter should not be treated solely as an issue of Nigerian domestic politics, saying it could have implications for the relationship between Washington and Abuja.
The development is connected to a long-running legal dispute over the release of historical records held by US law-enforcement agencies. The firm has been involved in efforts to obtain and publicise documents relating to the allegations.
Recent reports indicate that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have declined to confirm whether any current investigation or enforcement proceeding connected to the historical allegations exists. The lobbying firm said the agencies’ position raises questions but acknowledged that their refusal to comment does not establish that criminal charges are pending against Tinubu.
Tinubu has not been criminally charged in connection with the allegations and has denied wrongdoing. Previous US court proceedings in the 1990s involved the forfeiture of funds connected to a case concerning alleged proceeds from heroin trafficking, but the allegations remain a politically contested issue.
The lobbying firm’s latest move comes amid continuing legal proceedings over access to the records. In August, Tinubu’s legal team joined a request for additional time in the US federal court proceedings concerning the release of documents.
The firm has previously been associated with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and has separately disclosed efforts to share records concerning the Tinubu matter with US officials and lawmakers.
The latest development could further draw attention in Washington to the allegations and their potential implications for US-Nigeria relations, particularly in areas involving security cooperation and counter-narcotics policy.
