US law firm Von Batten Montague-York has announced it is authorized to initiate a $36 million federal lawsuit in the United States against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode.

The legal action, set to be filed before the US District Court for the District of Columbia, stems from alleged threats of kidnapping and physical harm directed at the firm’s principal, Dr. Von Batten. The firm claims these threats are tied to an organized criminal conspiracy involving members of the Nigerian presidency.

According to the firm’s statement, the litigation will test the boundaries of head-of-state immunity and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) regarding President Tinubu. The complaint will rely on applicable District of Columbia tort law, the FSIA, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

The specific statutory provisions cited include 28 U.S.C. Section 1605B—which covers international terrorism claims against foreign states and 18 U.S.C. Section 2333, providing civil remedies for qualifying US nationals.

Following the formal filing of the lawsuit next week, the firm intends to engage international immigration authorities in the US, UK, and European Union. Legal representatives plan to request a review of Fani-Kayode’s travel and visa status under terrorism-related grounds of inadmissibility and visa revocation statutes, including 8 U.S.C. Sections 1182 and 1201.