A United States-based policy and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu has spent millions of dollars in efforts to stop the release of US records linked to an old drug trafficking investigation involving him.
The firm made the allegation on Tuesday through its verified X account while commenting on the ongoing legal dispute over records held by US law enforcement agencies.
Von Batten-Montague-York claimed that Tinubu’s position that he was not trying to prevent the release of the documents does not match the actions of his legal representatives in the Freedom of Information Act case.
The firm alleged that Tinubu had taken legal steps in the matter and had also engaged with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration over the release of the records.
The dispute centres on documents reportedly held by the United States Department of Justice, FBI and DEA concerning past investigations connected to allegations involving the Nigerian President.
The US firm said the involvement of federal law enforcement agencies in the records dispute showed that the documents were being treated as sensitive investigative material.
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The latest allegation comes amid a continuing court process in the United States over whether the records should be made public.
US District Judge Beryl Howell recently granted additional time to an attorney appointed during the Donald Trump administration, Jeanine Pirro, to respond to the request for the release of the records.
The case is being pursued under the US Freedom of Information Act, which allows members of the public to request records from federal government agencies, subject to certain legal exemptions.
Tinubu has previously been linked to the legal proceedings surrounding the requested documents. The Nigerian President joined the US Department of Justice in seeking a 10-day extension to respond to a motion seeking the release of records related to the allegations.
The matter has continued to attract attention because of the political and legal questions surrounding the records and the decision by US authorities to oppose or delay their release.
However, the allegations made by Von Batten-Montague-York remain claims by the firm and do not, by themselves, establish that Tinubu committed drug trafficking or that he personally spent the alleged amount to suppress the records.
The court process is expected to determine the next steps regarding the requested documents and whether any of the records can be released to the public.
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