Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., has expressed grave concern over Nigeria’s security and electoral integrity under President Bola Tinubu, warning that continued issues could trigger calls for international sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans for officials allegedly linked to rights violations or election rigging. The firm, which is under contract with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, stated it is already briefing officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump and will push for action under the Global Magnitsky framework if credible evidence emerges. The warning signals a new phase of international scrutiny ahead of the 2027 elections.
Von Batten-Montague-York said its engagement is tied to a $1.2 million, 12‑month contract signed in March 2026, which mandates the firm to “counterbalance” the Nigerian government’s “lobbying narratives” in the US and provide Atiku with “guidance on policy positioning, reputational considerations, and engagement strategy”. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the firm declared, “We will continue to advocate for appropriate US accountability measures, including consideration of Global Magnitsky sanctions, to freeze assets wherever located, should credible evidence establish complicity in the killing of Christians in Northern Nigeria or in efforts to rig the upcoming presidential election”.
The firm also launched a sharp personal attack on President Tinubu. “H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a statesman with a long and respected legacy. Nevertheless, his tenure as President is not viewed favourably by a majority of Nigerians,” the statement said. It added, “The Nigerian presidency is not your birthright, but a privilege bestowed by the Nigerian people, and if the Nigerian people decide you have to go, then you have to go”. The firm noted that it does not have the authority to remove a sitting leader, stressing that “such power rests exclusively with the Nigerian people”.
This is not the first time the same firm has threatened sanctions against Nigerian officials. On April 8, 2026, Von Batten-Montague-York said it would urge President Trump and Congress to impose Global Magnitsky sanctions on any Nigerian politician or INEC official “who engages in efforts to rig Nigeria’s ongoing electoral process,” including asset freezes and travel bans for individuals and their immediate family members. That threat followed INEC’s derecognition of the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the main opposition coalition, which the firm said “has effectively frozen Nigeria’s main opposition political party at a critical moment”. The firm also confirmed that it has held remote talks with senior staff of the US House Democratic caucus to discuss “serious concerns regarding election integrity in Nigeria, including credible allegations that the current government is working to circumvent the will of the Nigerian people through electoral manipulation”.
The firm’s latest statement comes as US political pressure on Nigeria intensifies. In October 2025, President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, a designation the Biden administration had removed in 2021. The House Appropriations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee have since delivered a joint report to the White House on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, urging targeted sanctions. Additionally, US lawmakers have introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which would compel sanctions on officials who enforce blasphemy laws or restrict religious freedom. In a related move, the US House has proposed withholding 50% of aid to Nigeria until the government meets conditions on tackling violence and supporting affected communities.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected the narrative of religious persecution and has argued that insecurity stems from complex challenges including terrorism, organised crime and communal tensions, not state policy. The government also maintains that it is committed to free and fair elections. However, the opposition, led by Atiku Abubakar, has seized on the firm’s warnings to argue that the Tinubu administration is steering the country toward a “de facto one-party state”. With the 2027 election cycle fast approaching, the firm’s threat of sanctions adds a powerful new dimension to Nigeria’s political contest, as domestic opposition groups gain a potential voice in Washington capable of escalating international pressure on the federal government.
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