US Lobbyist Sues Tinubu, Nigerian Government for $57m Over Alleged Defamation and Kidnap Plot
A United States-based lobbyist has filed a $57 million lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian government and two other defendants, alleging defamation and a conspiracy to kidnap and physically harm him. The suit was filed at a federal court in Washington, DC, and summonses have been issued to the defendants.
Karl Von Batten, who heads a US lobbying firm, is seeking $36 million from Tinubu and the Nigerian government, $3 million from former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode and $18 million from DCI Group, a US public affairs and lobbying company. Fani-Kayode has denied the allegations contained in the case.
The lawsuit comes against the backdrop of Von Batten’s lobbying activities involving Nigerian political affairs. His firm has previously worked for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, a political opponent of Tinubu, and has campaigned in the United States for the release of FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration records relating to past allegations involving the Nigerian president.
The allegations in the lawsuit have not been established by a court, and the filing does not amount to a finding of liability against any of the defendants. The case could, however, bring a politically sensitive dispute involving Nigerian figures and US-based lobbying interests before a federal court in Washington as the legal process unfolds.
