A United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is making efforts to prevent the release of US law-enforcement records linked to allegations of drug trafficking against him.
The firm made the claim in a post published on its verified X account on Saturday, alleging that Tinubu had asked a court not to compel the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release the records.
According to Von Batten-Montague-York, the President has opposed the disclosure of the documents, citing his right to privacy.
The firm further claimed that Tinubu argued that the records were being sought for political purposes, including an attempt to influence politics in another country and undermine his chances in Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
“President Tinubu goes on to essentially argue that even the Nigerian public’s interest in his background and fitness for office does not give the public a right under the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, to obtain the withheld information in his law-enforcement records,” the firm stated.
The firm then questioned the implication of the President’s position, writing, “Nigerians, this is your President.”
The allegations relate to an ongoing legal dispute in the United States over access to records concerning previously reported allegations of drug trafficking involving Tinubu. The allegations have not been established as proof of criminal wrongdoing.
Daily Post reported that US District Judge Beryl Howell granted additional time to Jeanine Pirro, a Trump-appointed attorney, to respond to the request concerning the alleged drug-trafficking records.
It was also reported that Tinubu joined the US Department of Justice in seeking a 10-day extension to respond to a motion requesting the release of records connected to the allegations.
The latest claims by Von Batten-Montague-York have therefore added to the ongoing political and legal controversy surrounding the possible disclosure of the US law-enforcement documents ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
