A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten Montague-York, has offered to support Adeniyi Adeyemi, the embattled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), in seeking asylum in the US while calling for an investigation into allegations he has made against top Nigerian government officials.
The offer was made through a series of posts on X over the weekend and on Monday by the firm’s chairman, Dr. Von Batten, who disclosed that his team had established contact with Adeyemi and was preparing to brief members of the US Congress and other American agencies on the claims.
In a post published on Saturday, Batten said the firm was willing to assist Adeyemi in applying for asylum and securing whistleblower protection in the United States.
“To anyone in contact with Mr. Adeyemi, we are very interested in speaking with him. We are prepared to assist Mr. Adeyemi in seeking asylum in the United States and requesting whistleblower protection,” he wrote.
He argued that the allegations deserved international attention because of the United States’ financial stake in the World Bank.
“Because @WorldBankGroup funds reportedly form part of Nigeria’s national budget, and the United States is the World Bank’s largest shareholder, any credible allegations involving those funds would be of significant interest to U.S. authorities,” Batten stated.
He also warned that his organisation would push for accountability if anything happened to Adeyemi.
In another post on Monday, Batten said he had spoken directly with Adeyemi and found him to be a credible source whose allegations should be examined by several US institutions.
“This is Dr. Von Batten. I just spoke with Mr. Adeyemi. I found him to be sincere and credible. Based on our discussion, I believe his allegations warrant an investigation by Congress, @StateDept, @USTreasury, @USGAO, and other relevant U.S. agencies due to the alleged misappropriation of U.S.-funded World Bank loans by senior members of the Nigerian government,” he said.
According to Batten, he had already briefed senior members of US President Donald Trump’s team over the weekend and planned to begin engagements with members of Congress this week.
“This past weekend, I briefed senior members of President @realDonaldTrump’s team on these allegations, and our team will begin briefing Members of Congress this week,” he added.
Batten further claimed that Adeyemi told him he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to head the PFIPC, provided office space within the Federal Secretariat, and authorised to open bank accounts for the agency through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He also alleged that Adeyemi claimed the council received funding through the national budget, including funds linked to World Bank-supported projects.
According to Batten, Adeyemi further alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded 45 per cent of the agency’s budget and that after he refused, he became the target of retaliation while the council was subsequently declared fictitious.
The lobbying firm also said Adeyemi informed it that he and members of his family had gone into hiding after receiving threats to their safety.
Batten warned that if any harm came to Adeyemi while he was cooperating with American authorities, President Tinubu would be held responsible.
The development comes as the Nigeria Police Force prepares to arraign Adeyemi before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of forgery, impersonation and related offences.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, the police accused Adeyemi and two others of operating the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council from the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja before his arrest.
President Tinubu had earlier directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of the purported agency within 30 days.
Court documents also list the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, among the prosecution witnesses expected to testify during the trial.
The controversy surrounding the PFIPC has triggered calls from opposition politicians and other stakeholders for an independent investigation into how the agency reportedly secured a ₦1.302 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite the Presidency’s insistence that it never existed.