KILLING OF CHRISTIANS: Former U.S. Mayor alleges conflicts of interest and improper ties between Trump adviser Massad Boulos and Nigerian government

Crime Diary, International

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Former U.S. mayor and conservative activist Mike Arnold has levelled a series of allegations against Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab, Middle Eastern and African Affairs, accusing him of conflicts of interest and maintaining improper business and political ties with the Nigerian government.

Arnold, founder of Africa Arise International, made the allegations in a statement titled “It Sure Looks Like Massad Boulos Is Running Scared,” released on Tuesday.

In the statement, Arnold alleged that Boulos publicly echoed the Nigerian government’s position on insecurity and violence in the country while maintaining business interests that could create conflicts with his advisory role in the United States government.

According to Arnold, his criticism stems from events surrounding his October 2025 visit to Nigeria, during which he publicly accused the Nigerian government of failing to adequately address violence against Christians in parts of the country.

He claimed that shortly after his intervention, Boulos met with President Bola Tinubu on the sidelines of the Aqaba Summit in Rome and subsequently appeared on Nigerian state television, where he described terrorism and insecurity as issues affecting multiple communities and religious groups.

Arnold alleged that Boulos repeated narratives he believed were intended to downplay the scale and nature of the violence against Christian groups occurring in parts of Nigeria.

The activist further alleged that Boulos’ family business interests in Nigeria create significant conflicts of interest.

According to him, SCOA Nigeria, a company linked to Boulos’ family, has commercial relationships connected to major infrastructure projects being executed in Nigeria.

Arnold specifically referenced the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, alleging that SCOA Nigeria supplies equipment used by construction firms involved in the project.

He argued that the existence of such business relationships raises questions about the impartiality expected of a senior adviser to the President of the United States.

The statement also focused on Lebanese-Nigerian businessman Gilbert Chagoury, whom Arnold alleged maintains close business and political ties with both Boulos and the Nigerian government.

Arnold cited previous legal and regulatory actions involving Chagoury in several jurisdictions and claimed that his role in facilitating meetings between Nigerian and international actors warrants greater scrutiny.

He further alleged that beneficiaries of major government contracts have strong incentives to support the continuation of the current administration’s policies and political influence.

Beyond the business allegations, Arnold questioned Boulos’ standing within the Trump administration, claiming that his influence in Washington has diminished in recent months.

As part of his argument, he cited media reports and comments allegedly made by congressional aides and other officials regarding Boulos’ performance and effectiveness as a presidential adviser on African affairs.

The activist also referenced a decision by the United States government to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and suggested that the move contradicted positions he claimed Boulos had publicly advanced regarding the security situation in the country.

Arnold further disclosed that he had filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the U.S. State Department seeking records relating to Boulos’ meetings, ethics agreements, and disclosures.

According to him, the documents had not been released within the timeframe initially communicated by the department.

He argued that public disclosure of such records would help address concerns surrounding transparency and possible conflicts of interest.

The statement also alleged that Boulos and SCOA Nigeria retained legal representation to issue cease-and-desist letters to Nigerian journalists and commentators reporting on matters related to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project and other business dealings.

Arnold claimed the legal actions were intended to discourage scrutiny of issues he believes deserve public examination.

He maintained that a full judicial process would expose additional information concerning business transactions and communications involving key individuals mentioned in his statement.

Throughout the statement, Arnold insisted that his concerns relate to transparency, accountability, and the proper management of potential conflicts of interest by individuals occupying influential public positions.

He argued that senior government advisers should be held to high ethical standards, particularly where public responsibilities intersect with private business interests.

Neither Boulos, SCOA Nigeria, the Nigerian Presidency, nor other individuals mentioned in the statement had publicly responded to Arnold’s latest allegations as of the time of filing this report.

The allegations remain claims made by Arnold and have not been independently verified by Newpost Africa.