Atiku’s lobbying firm sends Tinubu’s forfeiture records to US Congress

Atiku’s lobbying firm sends Tinubu’s forfeiture records to US Congress

A Washington-based lobbying firm retained by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has disclosed that it has begun distributing historical United States Department of Justice (DOJ) records relating to President Bola Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case to officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, members of the US Congress, and senior congressional staff.

The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., said the initiative forms part of a 12-month lobbying agreement reportedly worth $1.2 million, signed with Atiku in March 2026. According to the firm, its assignment includes promoting Atiku’s policy positions on governance, democracy and Nigeria–United States relations, while engaging key policymakers in Washington.

In a statement posted on its official X account, the lobbying firm said it had held meetings with officials in the Trump administration, members of Congress and senior congressional aides before distributing more than 60 pages of DOJ documents, court filings and supporting records relating to Tinubu’s decades-old civil forfeiture proceedings.

According to the firm, many US policymakers were previously unfamiliar with the historical case, prompting it to circulate the documents for what it described as informational and oversight purposes.

Among the materials distributed is a document titled “Background and Chronology of the 1993 U.S. Department of Justice Heroin-Proceeds Forfeiture Case and the 2023 FOIA Litigation Concerning Alleged Heroin Trafficking from Nigeria to the United States Involving Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

READ ALSO:

• 2027: North-Central group backs Tinubu for second term, says re-election ‘done deal’
• Reps investigate xenophobic attacks, seek compensation for Nigerians in South Africa
• High graduation fees spark outrage among parents, guardians

The records relate to a 1993 civil forfeiture action filed by the US Department of Justice following an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking network that operated between Nigeria and the United States during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Court filings referenced by the lobbying firm identify the matter as United States v. Funds in Account No. 263226700 et al., heard before the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The government alleged that funds in certain bank accounts were connected to narcotics trafficking and money laundering activities.

The documents mention President Tinubu alongside Adegboyega Mueez Akande and Abiodun Agbele, stating that investigators examined financial transactions carried out between 1988 and 1991.

According to the chronology, US investigators alleged that proceeds from a suspected narcotics trafficking organisation were deposited into bank accounts associated with Tinubu.

The matter, however, ended in a civil settlement, with approximately $460,000 forfeited to the US government.

Importantly, the proceedings were civil—not criminal—and President Tinubu was never convicted of any criminal offence in the United States in relation to the forfeiture case.

The lobbying firm also referenced the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation initiated in 2023 by American journalist Aaron Greenspan, who sought access to records held by several US federal agencies concerning the historical investigation.

According to the chronology, a US District Court in Washington, D.C., ruled in 2025 that some federal agencies could not rely on a blanket refusal to confirm or deny the existence of responsive records and ordered them to process portions of the FOIA requests in accordance with US law. The litigation remains ongoing.

The 1993 forfeiture case also featured prominently during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election litigation.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi argued before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that the forfeiture proceedings raised constitutional questions about Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the election.

However, the PEPC dismissed the claims, ruling that the petitioners failed to establish that Tinubu had been convicted of any criminal offence in the United States. The court further held that the forfeiture proceeding was civil in nature and that there was insufficient evidence to prove Tinubu made false declarations to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The decision was subsequently upheld through the appellate process.

The latest lobbying effort comes as political consultations ahead of the 2027 general election continue to intensify, with both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition figures expanding their domestic and international engagements.

As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency has not issued an official response to the lobbying firm’s latest disclosure.

Political analysts say the development highlights the growing use of international lobbying by Nigerian political actors. However, they note that circulating historical court documents to US officials does not amount to a new criminal investigation, indictment or judicial ruling against President Tinubu.

Atiku’s lobbying firm sends Tinubu’s forfeiture records to US Congress