ABUJA — The legal dispute between former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s United States-based lobbyist, Karl Von Batten, and Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has escalated, with both sides threatening multimillion-dollar lawsuits in the United States.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., the lobbying firm engaged by Atiku, said it had been cleared to proceed with a $36 million federal lawsuit against Fani-Kayode and President Bola Tinubu over alleged threats to kidnap and physically harm Von Batten.
The firm said in a statement on Wednesday that the suit would be filed next week before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to the firm, the proposed action arose from what it described as threats allegedly made by Fani-Kayode against Von Batten, which it further claimed were connected to an organised criminal conspiracy involving the Nigerian Presidency.
The firm also said it would contact United States, United Kingdom and European Union immigration authorities after filing the suit to seek a review of Fani-Kayode’s travel or visa status in connection with the allegations.
The proposed litigation is the latest development in an escalating dispute between Von Batten and Fani-Kayode over allegations concerning Tinubu.
In recent weeks, Von Batten’s firm has sought the release of United States government records relating to Tinubu’s past dealings with US drug-enforcement authorities, including through Freedom of Information Act requests and related litigation.
The firm said in July that it had begun providing records concerning allegations against Tinubu to officials of the US Department of Justice, members of the Donald Trump administration, Congress and senior congressional staff.
Fani-Kayode challenges him
Fani-Kayode has challenged Von Batten to substantiate his allegations and has denied threatening to kidnap or physically harm him.
In a statement responding to the planned $36 million suit, Fani-Kayode said he was not interested in harming or kidnapping Von Batten and insisted that he had acted within the law.
He also said he would challenge Von Batten’s allegations through legal means.
Fani-Kayode subsequently announced plans to institute a $100 million lawsuit against Von Batten, alleging libel and defamation.
He said his lawyers would seek damages of at least $100 million in a US court over what he described as false and damaging allegations against him.
The ambassador also said he would seek Von Batten’s extradition to Nigeria to face proceedings over alleged violations of Nigerian cybercrime and criminal-defamation laws.
Fani-Kayode challenged the lobbyist to make public any evidence supporting his allegation that he, Tinubu or the Federal Government had threatened him.
He further rejected allegations that the Nigerian government engages in kidnapping, physical harm or state-sponsored violence against political opponents or critics.
The latest exchange follows a series of statements and social media posts by both sides, with Von Batten continuing his campaign concerning US records linked to allegations against Tinubu, while Fani-Kayode has repeatedly disputed the claims and questioned the lobbyist’s assertions.
As of Thursday, the proposed $36 million action had not been confirmed as filed in the US federal court. The allegations made by the lobbying firm against Tinubu and Fani-Kayode, as well as Fani-Kayode’s counter-allegations against Von Batten, remain disputed and have not been established by a court.
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