A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten Montague-York, has announced plans to file a $36 million federal lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu and former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, over alleged threats of kidnapping and physical harm against its principal, Dr Karl Von Batten.

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The firm, which is working for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said in a statement on Wednesday that it had been cleared to proceed with the proposed case at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. It alleged that the threats attributed to Fani-Kayode were linked to what it described as an organised criminal conspiracy involving the Nigerian Presidency. The allegations have not been established by a court.

Von Batten Montague-York said the proposed suit would raise legal questions involving the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and head-of-state immunity, given Tinubu’s position as Nigeria’s president. It also cited provisions of US law, including the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act, as part of the legal framework it intends to rely on.

The firm said it planned to file the lawsuit next week. It also announced plans to contact immigration authorities in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union regarding the alleged threats and whether Fani-Kayode’s travel or visa status should be reviewed. It said any immigration-related decision would rest with the relevant authorities.

The proposed action follows an earlier statement by the firm alleging that Fani-Kayode threatened its principal with kidnapping and physical harm. However, as of Wednesday, no federal court docket filing had been confirmed. The $36 million claim and the firm’s assertion that it had been cleared to proceed remain based on its own announcement.