Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has challenged a United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, to provide evidence supporting allegations linking President Bola Tinubu to drug trafficking.
Fani-Kayode made the challenge in a statement posted on his verified X account on Saturday, September 19, 2026, following claims by the US firm concerning Tinubu’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking in the 1990s.
The former Aviation Minister argued that references to a 1993 US Department of Justice civil forfeiture complaint should not be presented as proof that Tinubu personally trafficked drugs.
“Investigation is not proof of involvement,” Fani-Kayode said, explaining that civil forfeiture proceedings concern property and do not amount to a criminal conviction against an individual.
He also questioned the firm’s assertion that the US government and Drug Enforcement Administration had established allegations of heroin smuggling against Tinubu. Fani-Kayode challenged the firm to identify when and where such a finding was made and to provide supporting evidence.
The controversy centres on historical US legal proceedings involving funds associated with Tinubu. Fani-Kayode said the 1993 complaint and a 2026 FBI declaration referenced an investigation and civil settlement involving funds, rather than a criminal finding that Tinubu personally smuggled heroin.
The allegations have resurfaced amid heightened political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election. Tinubu is expected to seek another term, while opposition figures and political groups have continued to scrutinise his record and past.
The issue is significant because allegations involving drug trafficking and historical legal proceedings can carry serious political and reputational implications. However, claims about criminal conduct require clear documentary evidence and must be distinguished from investigations, allegations or civil proceedings.
Fani-Kayode maintained that the US firm should substantiate its claims rather than rely on interpretations of historical legal documents.
The controversy adds to ongoing political exchanges surrounding Tinubu’s past, with supporters and critics offering competing interpretations of records from his years before becoming president. The latest dispute is likely to remain part of the broader political debate as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.
