A United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu spent millions of dollars to prevent the release of records linked to historical drug-trafficking investigations involving him. The firm made the claim in a post on its verified X account amid an ongoing Freedom of Information Act case concerning records held by US law-enforcement agencies. 

According to the firm, Tinubu’s legal team challenged the release of the records and engaged with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration over the matter. It argued that these actions contradicted claims that the Nigerian president was not seeking to prevent the documents from becoming public.

The controversy centres on FOIA requests seeking records from the FBI, DEA and other US agencies relating to historical investigations involving Tinubu. A US federal court has been considering whether certain records should be released, with the FBI reportedly permitted to submit documents privately for judicial review before a decision on disclosure.

The allegations by the lobbying firm have not established that Tinubu committed a drug-related offence or personally spent the amount claimed. Tinubu has consistently maintained that the matter was civil in nature, while the ongoing court proceedings are focused on the release of government records under US disclosure laws.