A fresh controversy has emerged around Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after U.S.-based lawyer and policy advocate Dr. Von Batten allegedly received an unsolicited offer of $3 million, accompanied by an invitation to a confidential meeting in London, in an apparent attempt to persuade him to end his campaign concerning alleged U.S. records linked to President Tinubu.
In a statement, Dr. Von Batten’s associates said the offer came from a “highly placed individual” whom they had been informed was connected to President Tinubu. They alleged that the proposed payment was intended to persuade Dr. Von Batten to discontinue efforts relating to what they described as President Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records.
The allegation has not been independently verified, and the identity of the person who allegedly made the offer has not been disclosed.
According to the statement, Dr. Von Batten rejected the alleged offer and immediately preserved copies of the communications surrounding the approach. He subsequently contacted members of former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign to establish the alleged individual’s relationship with President Tinubu.
The group further alleged that a smear campaign against Dr. Von Batten commenced shortly after the offer was rejected, raising concerns about possible attempts to intimidate or discredit him.
In what could potentially escalate the controversy, Dr. Von Batten’s team said it intends to submit the alleged $3 million offer and related communications to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for review.
“We have a simple message for President Bola Tinubu, the APC and their associates: Thank you for the offer, but no thanks,” the statement said.
The allegation comes amid continuing controversy surrounding efforts to obtain and examine historical U.S. records relating to President Tinubu. If the alleged communications are formally submitted to U.S. authorities, investigators could determine whether the approach occurred, who was behind it and whether any laws were violated.
The development has also generated renewed calls for scrutiny of alleged attempts by politically connected individuals to influence investigations, records-access campaigns or other activities involving U.S. institutions.
However, it is important to stress that the bribery allegation remains an allegation at this stage. There is currently no independently established evidence in the statement proving that President Tinubu personally authorised, knew about or participated in the alleged $3 million offer. The Presidency and the APC have yet to publicly respond to the specific claim.
The key questions now are whether Dr. Von Batten will release the alleged communications, whether the FBI or Justice Department will review them, and whether such a review will establish any connection between the alleged intermediary and the Nigerian president.
If the evidence is authenticated, the matter could develop into a significant transnational political and legal controversy, with implications for both Nigeria’s political landscape and the credibility of institutions responsible for enforcing U.S. law.
