FACT-CHECK: Was Atiku Duped Into Paying $1.2m to ‘Von Batten’?
Verdict: UNPROVEN — but serious questions remain about the deal and the claims surrounding Atiku’s U.S. lobbyist
A claim making the rounds in Nigeria suggests that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar may have been duped into paying $1.2 million to a man who presented himself as “Von Batten” and claimed to have extraordinary access to the United States government.
But is Atiku actually the victim of a scam?
Headlineswave’s fact-check finds that there is currently no public evidence establishing that Atiku was scammed.
However, official U.S. records confirm the $1.2 million contract and raise enough questions about the lobbyist’s identity, professional history and claimed influence to warrant closer scrutiny.
What is confirmed?
Documents filed with the United States Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) confirm that Washington-based lobbying firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. registered to represent Atiku Abubakar.
The contract, signed in March 2026 and registered with the DOJ in April, is valued at $1.2 million for 12 months. The agreement covers government affairs, strategic advisory services, lobbying and efforts to promote Atiku’s positions among U.S. policymakers.
The DOJ filing also identifies the individual behind the firm as Dr Karl-Marx Edward Okeke-von Batten III, a U.S. citizen whose occupation is listed as policy adviser and whose position at the firm is Founder.
The filing specifically lists Atiku Abubakar as the foreign principal for whom he would provide services.
This is significant because it establishes that the relationship was not merely a social-media invention or an unverified political rumour.
So where does the “scam” allegation come from?
The controversy intensified after questions were raised about Okeke-von Batten’s background and the various names associated with him.
TheCable reported on September 1 that the lobbyist’s background had come under scrutiny, noting that different versions of his name appear in professional and official records. The report also said it contacted him for clarification.
U.S. government records, however, show that this is not a case of a completely fictitious person suddenly appearing in 2026.
The DOJ FARA database contains earlier filings involving Karl-Marx Edward Okeke-Von Batten III, including registrations dating back several years. A November 2023 FARA filing identifies him as a U.S. citizen, policy adviser and founder of Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C.
That evidence makes it difficult to sustain the simplistic claim that Atiku paid $1.2 million to a person who simply invented the “Von Batten” identity.
But did he misrepresent his influence?
That is the more serious unanswered question.
Nigeria’s Presidency has now challenged claims attributed to Okeke-von Batten suggesting extraordinary access to President Donald Trump or the ability to influence ongoing U.S. legal proceedings.
Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare described Okeke-von Batten as a commercial lobbyist rather than a U.S. government official and challenged those making such claims to produce documentary evidence.
Dare also alleged that Okeke-von Batten may have given Atiku the impression that he had significant access to the Trump administration.
But that allegation remains an allegation.
There is presently no publicly available evidence proving that Okeke-von Batten falsely represented himself to Atiku, nor is there evidence establishing that Atiku believed he was hiring a U.S. government official.
What exactly did Atiku pay for?
This is another important distinction.
The FARA documents do not describe the $1.2 million as payment to obtain secret FBI files or to control a U.S. court case.
The contract describes lobbying, government affairs, strategic advisory services, perception management and efforts to facilitate engagement with U.S. policymakers.
Therefore, saying “Atiku paid $1.2 million for FBI files” would also be misleading unless documentary evidence emerges showing that this was specifically part of the arrangement.
FACT-CHECK VERDICT
Claim: “Atiku was scammed by Mr Okeke, who presented himself as Von Batten and collected $1.2 million.”
VERDICT: UNPROVEN.
There is credible documentary evidence that:
Atiku entered into a $1.2 million, 12-month agreement with Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C.
The firm and its founder, Karl-Marx Edward Okeke-von Batten III, are registered with the U.S. Department of Justice under FARA.
Okeke-von Batten has appeared in FARA records in earlier years, meaning the claim that he simply fabricated his existence or identity is not supported by the available records.
Questions have nevertheless emerged over his professional background, use of different names and the extent of his claimed access and influence in Washington.
Claims that he deceived Atiku into believing he had extraordinary access to the Trump administration remain unsubstantiated.
Bottom line: There is evidence of a $1.2 million lobbying contract, but there is not yet sufficient evidence to factually conclude that Atiku was scammed.
The evidence presently supports scrutiny—not a definitive fraud verdict.
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Headlineswave distinguishes between verified facts, allegations and conclusions that remain unproven.
This report is based on publicly available U.S. Department of Justice FARA records and current reporting. Allegations of fraud or deception are not presented as established facts without supporting evidence.
