WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington-based lobbyist Dr Karl Von Batten says Pastor Laolu Akande, publisher of Empowered Newswire and host of Inside Sources, has been served with a federal summons and complaint in a $26 million defamation lawsuit pending before a United States federal court.
Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., the lobbying firm led by Von Batten, announced the development in a post on its X account.
According to the firm, its process server successfully served Akande with the court documents.
The announcement follows an earlier update in which the firm said that co-defendant Ademola Wasiu Olalekan Bello had also been served.
Meanwhile, efforts to serve Sahara Reporters remained unsuccessful.
The case, Von Batten v. Sahara Reporters Media Group, Inc. et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-03209, is before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Firm Warns Laolu Akande, Others of Possible Default Proceedings
In its latest announcement, Von Batten-Montague-York said Akande and Bello now have an opportunity to retain legal counsel and respond to the allegations against them.
The firm warned that it would seek entry of default and, where legally appropriate, a default judgment if either defendant failed to respond within the period prescribed by federal law.
It also stated that, if a monetary judgment were eventually entered, it intended to pursue lawful enforcement measures, including asset seizure and wage garnishment.
These are the plaintiff’s stated intentions. No default judgment or monetary award against the defendants has been established by the information currently available.
What The $26 Million Lawsuit Is About
Von Batten filed the original lawsuit in September 2026 following publications and broadcasts concerning his identity, professional credentials and lobbying activities.
The dispute centres on a September 14, 2026, Sahara Reporters article titled “The Talented” Mr. Karl Marx Von Batten: US Lobbyist Allegedly Paid $1.2 Million By Atiku Abubakar, Using Multiple Aliases And Fabricated Academic Credentials.
The publication made allegations concerning Von Batten’s use of different names, his academic credentials and an alleged $1.2 million payment from former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Von Batten disputes the allegations and maintains that the publications damaged his professional reputation.
The first amended complaint, filed on September 21, 2026, expanded the case to include Laolu Akande, individually and as a person doing business as Empowered Newswire, as well as Channels Incorporated Limited, the company operating Channels Television.
The amended complaint identifies Bello as the author of the Sahara Reporters article and alleges that Akande and Empowered Newswire participated in its separate publication and dissemination.
It also challenges statements made during a broadcast of Inside Sources featuring Bello.
The complaint seeks damages for alleged defamation and defamation by implication.
The original lawsuit sought $26 million.
The allegations remain claims made by the plaintiff.
Their truth or falsity has not been determined by a court.
Laolu Akande Served, Sahara Reporters Service Still Pending
In an earlier statement, Von Batten-Montague-York said its process server had experienced difficulties serving Sahara Reporters at the address publicly listed on the news organisation’s website.
The firm alleged that the address did not appear to be an operational office and appealed to Sahara Reporters to provide a valid address for service.
It also said that repeated attempts had been made to serve Akande before the latest announcement confirmed what the firm described as successful service.
The firm’s October update reported that Bello had already been located and served.
Its November 2 announcement now says Akande has also been served, leaving Sahara Reporters as the outstanding defendant in the service process, according to the firm’s account.
This Dawn News has not independently confirmed the latest service through a filed proof-of-service document.
The distinction is important because an announcement by a litigant or its representatives is not the same as a court determination that service has been completed.
Lawsuit Linked To Von Batten’s Advocacy on Tinubu Records
The dispute has also drawn attention because of Von Batten’s advocacy for the release of United States government records concerning historical drug-trafficking allegations involving Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Von Batten has publicly sought the release of records held by agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The amended complaint refers to this advocacy as part of the background to the dispute.
Von Batten alleges that the publications and broadcasts were connected to efforts to discredit him and interfere with his professional activities.
Those allegations have not been established in court, and the existence of the lawsuit does not establish that any Nigerian political actor or government agency orchestrated the publications.
Separate $57 Million Lawsuit Against Tinubu and Others
The defamation case against Sahara Reporters and the other defendants is separate from another lawsuit filed by Von Batten on September 28, 2026.
That second case, Von Batten v. Tinubu et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-03374, names President Tinubu, the Federal Government of Nigeria, former Aviation Minister and Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa Femi Fani-Kayode, and United States lobbying firm DCI Group AZ, LLC, among other parties.
The complaint alleges defamation, civil assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.
It also raises allegations concerning threats and efforts to interfere with Von Batten’s advocacy.
According to reports, the second lawsuit seeks a total of $57 million, allocated in the complaint as $36 million against Tinubu and the Nigerian government, $3 million against Fani-Kayode and $18 million against DCI Group.
The defendants have disputed or denied aspects of the allegations.
DCI Group rejected the claims, while Fani-Kayode’s office said that he had not been formally served and maintained his earlier denial of the allegations.
Neither the filing of the second lawsuit nor the allegations contained in it amount to a finding of liability.
What Happens Next?
With the latest service announcement, attention will turn to whether the defendants file responses within the applicable procedural deadlines and whether Sahara Reporters is successfully served.
The case is expected to proceed through the ordinary stages of federal civil litigation, which may include responses from defendants, preliminary legal applications and, if the case survives those stages, further proceedings.
For now, the central issues — whether the disputed publications were defamatory, whether the defendants are legally responsible and whether Von Batten is entitled to damages — remain matters for the court to determine.
