A legal battle involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a United States federal court has taken a new turn after Washington-based lobbying and political advisory firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, disclosed fresh court documents alleging links between a firm representing Nigeria’s interests in Washington and an alleged hacking operation targeting American activists.
The lobbying firm announced the development in a statement posted on its verified X account, saying a newly filed court document referenced criminal proceedings and publicly reported allegations concerning DCI Group, a US public affairs and lobbying firm that has worked for the Nigerian government.
According to Von Batten-Montague-York, the document raises questions about an alleged operation in which information was unlawfully obtained and subsequently used in efforts to discredit critics. 
The firm said the new disclosures were significant to its separate lawsuit against Tinubu, the Federal Government of Nigeria, Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, and DCI Group.
The case, filed on September 28, 2026, at the US District Court for the District of Columbia, is registered as Von Batten v. Tinubu et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-03374. Court records show that the suit names Tinubu, the Federal Government of Nigeria, Fani-Kayode, DCI Group AZ, LLC, and unidentified individuals as defendants.
$57m lawsuit
The litigation is separate from the underlying controversy over US government records concerning Tinubu but has become intertwined with the political and lobbying battle surrounding those records.
Von Batten-Montague-York has accused the defendants of participating in what it describes as a campaign of defamatory attacks against its founder, Karl Von Batten.
The firm further alleges that the campaign escalated into threats involving kidnapping, physical harm, referral to Nigerian security agencies and possible extradition.
The firm is seeking a total of $57 million in damages — $36 million jointly from Tinubu and the Nigerian government, $3 million from Fani-Kayode and $18 million from DCI Group.
The allegations remain claims by the plaintiff and have not been established by a court.
The defendants have the opportunity to contest them as the case proceeds.
DCI Group allegations add another layer
The latest disclosure brings DCI Group into sharper focus.
Von Batten-Montague-York said the newly referenced material concerns allegations that DCI Group was connected to an operation targeting American activists and involving stolen information allegedly used to undermine critics.
The lobbying firm argues that those allegations deserve scrutiny because of DCI Group’s alleged role in representing the Nigerian administration in Washington and its inclusion as a defendant in the $57 million lawsuit.
However, the existence of allegations or references to criminal proceedings does not by itself establish that DCI Group committed any wrongdoing. Any such claims would have to be tested through the appropriate legal proceedings.
A widening Washington battle
The lawsuit is the latest escalation in a dispute that has increasingly moved beyond Nigeria’s political arena and into Washington’s legal and lobbying circles.
Karl Von Batten’s firm has been involved in advocacy concerning US government records relating to Tinubu, including records held by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.
The firm has previously said its activities were aimed at securing the release of records connected to allegations concerning the Nigerian president.
The wider dispute has also drawn in Fani-Kayode, who has rejected the allegations against him.
His office previously said he had not been formally served with the lawsuit, according to reporting by PREMIUM TIMES. DCI Group has also rejected the allegations made against it.
The US court docket shows that summonses were issued to the named defendants following the filing, although the public docket does not by itself establish that every defendant has been formally served.
What happens next?
The new allegations could add another contentious dimension to a case already involving claims of defamation, alleged threats of physical harm and an alleged conspiracy.
For now, the accusations surrounding the alleged hacking operation remain allegations cited by Von Batten-Montague-York. Whether the claims have legal significance in the underlying lawsuit will ultimately depend on the evidence presented and how the federal court rules on the issues before it.
What began as a dispute over political advocacy and access to US government records has therefore evolved into a broader legal confrontation involving Tinubu, Nigerian officials and American lobbying interests — with potentially significant implications for the way political influence campaigns involving Nigeria are conducted in Washington.
I’ve deliberately used “alleged,” “claimed,” and “according to the firm” throughout because the hacking, defamation, kidnapping and related accusations have not been established as facts by a court. The federal docket confirms the existence of the lawsuit and its defendants.
