A US-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, says it has reported an alleged $3 million offer to stop an investigation linked to President Bola Tinubu to the United States Department of Justice.
The firm disclosed this in a statement posted on its verified X account on Thursday, saying it had provided the DOJ with evidence of the alleged approach.
The development follows the firm’s earlier disclosure that its managing partner, Dr Karl Von Batten, had allegedly been offered money to stop the investigation and that he rejected the proposal.
According to the firm, Von Batten preserved copies of the communications relating to the alleged offer before reporting the matter to US authorities.
“Out of an abundance of caution and to protect our reputation, we reported the incident to the Department of Justice and provided screenshots of the communications we received.”
The firm said it considered the circumstances surrounding the alleged offer serious enough to warrant reporting the matter to the US authorities.
It specifically cited the amount of money allegedly discussed, a proposed confidential meeting in London, and a request for communication through disappearing messages.
“Given the amount of money discussed, the proposed confidential meeting in London, and the request to communicate through disappearing messages, we believed the responsible course was to preserve the evidence and bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate US authorities.”
Von Batten-Montague-York said it would leave the matter with the DOJ to determine whether the communications required further investigation or review.
“We will now allow DOJ to determine whether the communications warrant any further review.”
The development comes amid renewed attention to allegations concerning Tinubu and a historical US investigation into suspected drug-trafficking activities.
The FBI recently confirmed that records sought in a Freedom of Information Act case were compiled as part of an investigation involving multiple individuals for drug-trafficking crimes, while a US court had previously determined that there had been an official acknowledgement of an investigation involving Tinubu.
The confirmation, however, does not establish that Tinubu committed a drug-trafficking offence or was convicted of any crime.
Von Batten-Montague-York has also attracted attention in Nigeria because the firm was hired by ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in March 2026 for Washington-based lobbying work under a 12-month agreement reportedly valued at $1.2 million.
The latest claim by the firm remains an allegation concerning communications it says it received. The DOJ’s position or any decision to investigate the reported communications had not been publicly disclosed at the time of the firm’s statement.
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