United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, says Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu may face criminal charges after he leaves office.
Von Batten-Montague-York made this submission in a post on its verified X handle on Tuesday.
The firm stressed that the filings it has reviewed do not explicitly establish that the US government intends to charge Tinubu.
It, however, said the responses of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, headquarters to certain enquiries raise serious questions about their future intentions and whether a law enforcement investigation or proceeding may still exist.
According to the firm, on two separate occasions, the FBI and DEA were asked to agree that, more than 30 years later, no investigation is pending and no enforcement proceeding is ongoing concerning the crimes described in the underlying cases.
The firm added that the agencies refused to confirm either assertion, noting that instead, they both stated that they are “not obligated to comment on whether a law enforcement investigation or proceeding may exist.”
It said, “Based on our reading of some of the case filings, we believe President Tinubu may face criminal charges after he leaves office, when he no longer has immunity ratione personae, in connection with the heroin-trafficking allegations.
“From the records, we know that some individuals associated with the underlying investigation are dead and that the FBI and DEA filings reference wiretaps.
“The FBI and DEA’s refusal to confirm that no investigation or enforcement proceeding exists is noteworthy.
“Their refusal doesn’t prove charges are coming against President Tinubu, but given how President Donald Trump operates, it raises the question: Why won’t the FBI and DEA simply say that no current investigation or proceeding connected to these cases or involving President Tinubu exists?”
Alleged drug trafficking: Tinubu may face criminal charges after leaving office – US firm