A US-based lobby firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., hired by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu is engaging in political intimidation, arrests of government critics,
and weakening democratic freedoms ahead of the 2027 elections. The firm claims that the government is displaying “the behaviour of a single-party dictatorship consolidating power through fear and intimidation
The lobby firm specifically referenced the ongoing legal challenges involving former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, saying he was “charged after publicly criticising President Tinubu.”
It also mentioned businessman John Olatunde Ayeni, who reportedly faced legal pressure after criticising the government. The firm warned that it would brief the administration of US President Donald Trump and the US Congress on the alleged “weaponisation of state institutions to silence dissent
El-Rufai has been in detention for 91 days despite a Federal High Court ruling granting him ₦100 million bail. His continued detention has sparked protests from family members and supporters, who accuse security agencies of violating court directives and denying him access to medical care and legal rights