Atiku-linked US lobbying firm renews push for release of Tinubu’s records

A United States lobbying firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has renewed its campaign for the release of records relating to President Bola Tinubu’s decades-old US case, while announcing plans to engage anti-drug organisations and victims of heroin abuse in the United States.

The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, made the announcement in a statement posted on its official X account on Saturday, alleging that US law enforcement agencies under former President Joe Biden refused to release documents relating to Tinubu despite multiple Freedom of Information Act requests.

According to the firm, the requests were filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

It identified the requests as FOIA numbers 1588244-000, 1593615-000, 22-00892-F, 24-00201-F and EOUSA-2023-002028.

The lobbying firm claimed the refusal by the agencies prompted US District Judge Beryl Howell to order the release of the records in 2025, adding that the documents have yet to be made public.

“The FBI, the Justice Department, and the DEA under President Joe Biden refused FOIA requests to release records concerning Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s alleged heroin trafficking from Nigeria to Chicago.

ALSO READ: Why we submitted Tinubu’s forfeiture records to Trump — Atiku-linked US lobbying firm

“The FOIA requests were made by Aaron Greenspan, an American transparency activist. The refusal and stonewalling by the Biden Administration led to US District Judge Beryl Howell ordering the Biden Administration in 2025 to release the files. Yet, no files have been released. This is going to change,” the statement said.

It added that the alleged delay in releasing the documents “is going to change.”

The firm also announced plans to meet with anti-drug organisations, religious leaders and victims of heroin abuse in the US.

“As President Donald Trump has rightfully shown, US agencies must never protect foreign leaders accused of having links to drugs smuggled into the United States.

“Next week, we will be engaging with anti-drug organisations, religious leaders, and victims of heroin abuse and deaths regarding President Tinubu’s alleged link to heroin trafficking in Chicago,” it stated.

The renewed demand follows a series of exchanges between the former vice president and the Presidency over Tinubu’s US legal records.

Earlier this week, Atiku, through his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, faulted the Presidency’s response to petitions reportedly sent by his US lobbying team to President Donald Trump and the US State Department seeking further scrutiny of Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case.

He argued that the government’s defence of the President had instead reignited public interest in the decades-old matter.

The Presidency rejected the petitions, insisting that US authorities had confirmed there were no pending criminal cases against Tinubu. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga also defended the President and accused Atiku of corruption during his time as vice president.

Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case, which involved funds connected to bank accounts linked to him, has repeatedly resurfaced in Nigeria’s political discourse. While the Presidency maintains that the matter ended without a criminal conviction, opposition figures have continued to press for the release of additional US records, making the issue a fresh point of political contention ahead of the 2027 general election.