Von Batten-Montague-York files FOIA request for details of $700bn US-Nigeria mining MOU
*As Group demands disclosure of signed agreement, negotiation records, commitments and safeguards for affected communities
By KEMI KASUMU
The group argued that the public should not be left in the dark about agreements involving the country’s natural resources, particularly those with potentially significant economic and social implications.
Von Batten-Montague-York has announced that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the United States Department of State to obtain the signed $700 billion US-Nigeria mining Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and records relating to its negotiation and execution.
The group said the move followed growing demands by Nigerians for transparency over the agreement, which it said concerns the country’s mineral resources and national wealth.
In a statement, Von Batten-Montague-York criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for allegedly failing to make the details of the agreement public, insisting that Nigerians deserved to know the terms and commitments made in their name.
The group argued that the public should not be left in the dark about agreements involving the country’s natural resources, particularly those with potentially significant economic and social implications.
It said the FOIA request was intended to obtain the actual signed document and relevant records of the negotiations and execution of the agreement.
‘Documents will be made public’
Von Batten-Montague-York said it intended to publish the documents obtained through the request, adding that there was also considerable public interest in the United States in understanding the terms of the deal.
According to the group, the key issues include what both governments agreed to, the obligations undertaken and the safeguards established to protect communities affected by mining activities.
It maintained that transparency was essential to ensuring accountability in agreements involving strategic mineral resources.
The group also expressed support for the United States’ efforts to secure access to critical minerals amid its competition with China, but warned against pursuing that objective at the expense of transparency and the interests of affected communities.
It said Washington should not adopt practices it associates with China in its drive to strengthen its position in the global critical minerals market.
The group did not indicate when it expected a response to its FOIA request.
