‘They’ve settled the Americans’ – Atiku-linked US firm questions Tinubu-Trump meeting, minerals deal

A United States firm working for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised questions over the planned meeting between President Bola Tinubu and President Donald Trump, as well as a proposed US-Nigeria minerals agreement expected to be signed on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Von Batten Montague York-LC, in a post on X on Monday, alleged that highly placed Nigerians had claimed the Nigerian Presidency was privately expressing confidence that Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, records would not be released.

The firm also alleged that the Presidency believed the proposed Tinubu-Trump meeting would go ahead because the two sides had “settled the Americans”.

The firm stressed, however, that it had not independently verified the claims.

It explained that the expression “settled the Americans” was being used in the Nigerian context to imply that something of value had been provided in exchange for a favourable outcome.

The allegations come amid the Nigerian government’s announcement of a minerals agreement with the United States, which is expected to be signed during the UN General Assembly.

According to the US firm, the timing of the proposed agreement raises questions about the appearance of impropriety and the need to safeguard the integrity of the United States.

Von Batten Montague York-LC also referred to an unsolicited $3 million offer allegedly made by a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who it said was connected to President Tinubu.

The firm said it had no evidence linking the alleged $3 million offer to the proposed US-Nigeria minerals agreement.

“After the unsolicited $3 million offer from a member of the @OfficialAPCNg who is connected to the Nigerian President Tinubu, we believe these concerns cannot simply be dismissed,” the firm said.

It added that it had begun informing the Trump administration about what it described as the “serious appearance problem” that could arise from signing the minerals agreement at the UN.