A group campaigning over alleged past narcotics-related records involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has claimed that Dr. Von Batten was recently offered $3 million and invited to a confidential meeting in London by an individual it believes is connected to the Nigerian president.
According to the group, the offer was intended to persuade Von Batten to discontinue its campaign concerning documents it says relate to alleged heroin-trafficking investigations involving Tinubu.
The group said Von Batten rejected the offer, preserved copies of the alleged communications and contacted members of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign to establish the nature of the individual’s reported relationship with Tinubu.
It further alleged that a smear campaign against Von Batten began shortly after the offer was rejected.
The group said it intends to submit the alleged $3 million offer and related communications to the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for review.
Addressing Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their associates, the group said it would continue pursuing the release of documents connected to the matter through the American judicial system.
It cited previous rulings by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, claiming that the court had rejected arguments for keeping certain records concerning Tinubu confidential.
The group also referenced a 1993 civil forfeiture involving about $460,000 from accounts it said were linked to Tinubu and described by U.S. authorities at the time as suspected proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
It further cited FBI Case No. 245-IP-71386 and alleged that the FBI had conducted interviews documented in Form 302 records in 1992 and 1993.
The group questioned why the FBI was seeking permission to discuss some of the records privately with the federal court, arguing that the move suggested the existence of information the agency considered sensitive.
It also questioned why Tinubu’s lawyers had participated in efforts to delay or prevent the release of the records.
The group argued that the Nigerian public has a legitimate interest in records concerning the past of a sitting president, while criticising arguments that such interest amounts merely to public curiosity.
However, the allegations contained in the statement have not been independently established, and claims concerning the alleged $3 million offer, Tinubu’s purported involvement in narcotics trafficking and the contents of the FBI records remain matters of dispute.
The group said it would continue pursuing the documents through the U.S. courts and submit the alleged communications to American authorities for further review.
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