Tinubu won’t be arrested at UNGA, but will be ‘embarrassed’ — US Lobbying Firm

A United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu could be arrested if he travels to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The firm, however, claimed that the Nigerian President could face public embarrassment during the international gathering.

Von Batten-Montague-York made the remarks in a statement posted on its verified X account amid speculation over Tinubu’s expected participation in the UNGA.

“There is no plan to arrest Nigerian President Bola Tinubu over his alleged involvement in heroin smuggling if he attends the UN General Assembly this month. Any claim to the contrary is untrue,” the firm stated.

“What is true is that President Tinubu will be embarrassed in New York,” it added.

The firm also repeated its claim that efforts to arrange a private meeting between Tinubu and United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA would not succeed.

It alleged that neither a meeting at the White House nor a bilateral engagement on the sidelines of the UNGA was being planned, citing allegations concerning Tinubu’s past in the United States.

Von Batten-Montague-York further repeated allegations linking Tinubu to heroin trafficking decades ago.

“The FBI claims that Tinubu was part of a criminal organisation that smuggled heroin from Nigeria into the United States during the 1980s and 1990s,” the firm claimed.

The allegations form part of an ongoing controversy surrounding historical US records relating to Tinubu, including a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding in which $460,000 was forfeited to the US government.

The firm has continued to campaign around the allegations and said it would engage officials in Washington over the matter.

“We will continue to ensure that the White House and Congress fully understand that Nigerian President Tinubu is an alleged heroin trafficker and a liability to President Trump and the United States,” it stated.

The claims by the lobbying firm remain allegations and should not be treated as proof that Tinubu committed a criminal offence. Recent reporting has also highlighted an ongoing US legal dispute over access to historical records relating to the matter.

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