Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., a prominent Washington-based lobbying firm, has announced it is briefing the Donald Trump administration and the U.S. Congress on Department of Justice (DOJ) records involving historical drug trafficking allegations against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The firm was retained in March by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), under a 12-month, $1.2 million contract. The firm’s mandate includes strengthening Atiku’s international reputation and facilitating high-level engagements with U.S. officials to counter the Nigerian government’s current diplomatic narratives.
In a statement released via X (formerly Twitter), the firm claimed that many U.S. officials were previously unaware of the specific DOJ allegations. It confirmed it has begun distributing a 60-page dossier to the White House, senior congressional staff, and relevant House and Senate committees.
The dossier, titled *“Background and Chronology of the 1993 U.S. Department of Justice Heroin-Proceeds Forfeiture Case,”* outlines a federal investigation into a Chicago-based heroin trafficking ring operating between 1988 and 1991. According to the documents, the DOJ alleged that proceeds from the organization were deposited into bank accounts controlled by Mr. Tinubu.
The records identify associates Adegboyega Mueez Akande and Abiodun Agbele. While the DOJ alleged Akande led the organization, Agbele was reportedly arrested after selling heroin to an undercover officer. The matter culminated in 1993 with a negotiated civil forfeiture settlement in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where a portion of the funds in Tinubu’s accounts was forfeited to the U.S. government.
The lobbying firm’s move follows a 2025 U.S. District Court ruling in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by journalist Aaron Greenspan. That ruling compelled the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to process and release records previously shielded from public view.
Von Batten-Montague-York stated that the records are being provided for “informational and oversight purposes,” particularly as reports suggest President Tinubu is seeking a bilateral meeting with President Trump during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
The 1993 forfeiture case was a central pillar of the legal challenges against Tinubu’s 2023 election victory. However, Nigeria’s Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) dismissed the arguments brought by Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. The court ruled that the petitioners failed to prove a criminal conviction, noting that the U.S. proceedings were civil in nature and did not constitute a disqualifying offense under Nigerian law.
The lobbying firm maintains that the ongoing litigation in the U.S. and the disclosure of these documents are vital for transparency in the strategic relationship between Nigeria and the United States.
