Fani-Kayode to sue Atiku’s lobbyist for $100m over alleged defamation

Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has threatened to file a lawsuit against Karl Von Batten, a US-based lobbyist hired by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, demanding at least $100 million over alleged defamatory statements.

Fani-Kayode also said he would seek Von Batten’s extradition from the United States to Nigeria over alleged violations of the country’s cybercrime laws.

He made the threats in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, following Von Batten’s announcement that his firm had been cleared to proceed with a $36 million lawsuit against Fani-Kayode and President Bola Tinubu.

The lobbyist, through Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., said the suit would be filed next week in a US district court in Columbia over alleged threats to kidnap and physically harm him.

Responding, Fani-Kayode denied the allegations and challenged Von Batten to make public any evidence of threats from him, Tinubu or the federal government.

“I again challenge you to provide the evidence of these threats from me, the President and the Federal Government & MAKE THEM PUBLIC,” he said.

Fani-Kayode also rejected allegations that Tinubu, the Nigerian government and himself were involved in a criminal syndicate, transnational terrorism, kidnapping or other acts of violence, saying neither he nor the government had ever contemplated harming Atiku.

He vowed to respond to the allegations in court and demand at least $100 million in damages, adding, “I will also seek for your lawful extradition from America to come and answer for your numerous violations of our Cybercrime laws & criminal defamation before a duly constituted court of law here in Nigeria”.