A United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has released fresh documents in the federal case concerning Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, alleging connections between the Tinubu administration’s Washington representatives and an alleged hacking operation targeting American activists.
The firm disclosed the development in a statement posted on its verified X account, according to a report by Daily Post. According to the firm, a newly filed court document cited criminal proceedings and public reports concerning allegations that DCI Group — which it described as representatives of Tinubu’s administration in Washington, D.C. — was connected to an alleged hacking operation targeting American activists. The alleged operation reportedly involved stolen information used to discredit critics.
Serious Questions Raised
Von Batten-Montague-York said the disclosures warranted closer examination in light of its separate federal lawsuit against Tinubu, Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, and DCI Group. The firm alleged in the lawsuit that it had been subjected to a campaign of defamatory attacks, followed by statements it interpreted as threats of kidnapping, physical harm, referral to Nigerian security agencies and extradition.
In its statement, the firm said: “A new court document filed yesterday in the federal case concerning Nigerian President Bola Tinubu cites criminal proceedings and public reports concerning allegations that Tinubu’s administration’s D.C. representatives (DCI Group) was connected to an alleged hacking operation targeting American activists and involving stolen information used to discredit critics.”
“We believe these circumstances raise serious questions about American sovereignty, foreign interference, and potential transnational repression,” the firm added, citing the abduction and murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi as an example of how far a foreign government may go to silence critics. “We are taking nothing for granted. Stand by for our next course of action.”
$750,000 Monthly Payment Allegation
The development follows a separate court filing by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who alleged that the Nigerian government pays DCI Group AZ, LLC $750,000 monthly. Greenspan submitted a request for judicial notice on October 8, 2026, in support of his effort to pursue limited discovery involving Tinubu.
The filing also alleges that an account managed by the DCI affiliate published a post attacking Greenspan on August 5, 2026. However, the document does not establish that the Nigerian government ordered or funded the alleged online attack, nor does it demonstrate that the reported monthly payment was connected to the incident.
Greenspan is seeking records relating to himself, the ongoing litigation and alleged attacks on his website, PlainSite. In the filing, he referred to allegations by federal prosecutors that a Washington public affairs and lobbying firm had engaged Israeli contractors whose operators allegedly hacked electronic accounts belonging to targets of a project for the lobbying firm’s client, with the hacked data subsequently provided to the lobbying firm.
$57 Million Lawsuit
The latest disclosures are part of a broader legal battle involving Von Batten-Montague-York, which filed a $57 million lawsuit on September 28, 2026, at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Tinubu, the Federal Government of Nigeria, Fani-Kayode and DCI Group.
The lawsuit seeks $36 million jointly against Tinubu and the Federal Government of Nigeria, $3 million against Fani-Kayode individually, and $18 million against DCI Group. The firm said it kept the lawsuit quiet while service was being effected on the foreign parties in accordance with the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
The firm acknowledged that the claims against both Tinubu and the Federal Government of Nigeria will face legal hurdles because of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, but stated: “This firm does not run from difficult cases, especially when we allege that a conspiracy was undertaken to defame Dr. Von Batten, kidnap him, and physically harm him in an effort to silence his White House and Congressional advocacy concerning FBI and DEA records relating to President Tinubu and allegations of heroin trafficking.”
DCI Group Rejects Allegations
American lobbying firm DCI Group has rejected the allegations. In an email to Premium Times, Craig Stevens of DCI Group dismissed the claims, saying: “Mr. Von Batten’s allegations are so far past unfounded that they reach the point of the absurd.” He said DCI’s work for the Nigerian government focused on strengthening relations between Nigeria and US policymakers and referred the newspaper to the firm’s disclosures under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Fani-Kayode’s office told Premium Times that the former minister had not been formally served with the court papers and maintained his earlier denial of the allegations. He had previously indicated he would pursue a $100 million counterclaim against Von Batten.
Ongoing FOIA Case
The developments come as a US court is set to rule on a Freedom of Information Act case involving alleged FBI and DEA records concerning President Tinubu. Von Batten-Montague-York said the court-ordered deadline for final briefings in the FOIA case has expired, and the court will now review the arguments presented by the parties and deliberate.
The firm said it believes the court will rule in favour of the plaintiff and order the release of portions of the alleged heroin-trafficking records concerning President Tinubu, while protecting sensitive law-enforcement methods and rejecting Tinubu’s request for blanket privacy protection.
In April 2025, US District Judge Beryl A. Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA could not maintain blanket refusals to confirm or deny whether responsive records existed, though the judge upheld the CIA’s refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records. That ruling did not establish criminal wrongdoing by Tinubu.
The latest filings contain allegations that have not been proven in court, and further clarification from the parties involved or additional court proceedings would be necessary to establish the status and implications of the claims.
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