‘It can be charged as felony’ – Mike Arnold accuses Tinubu, DCI Group of violating US law
Former Mayor Accuses Nigerian Government and U.S. Lobbying Firm of Legal Violations
BLANCO, Texas — Mike Arnold, a former mayor of Blanco, Texas, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the Washington-based lobbying firm DCI Group of violating laws in both the United States and Nigeria.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Arnold alleged that the Nigerian government is paying DCI Group $750,000 monthly under a contract filed with the U.S. Department of Justice. He claimed the contract is intended to convey to U.S. authorities that the Nigerian government is protecting Christian communities and combating jihadist groups.
However, Arnold contends that DCI Group has diverged from its stated purpose by reportedly launching social media attacks against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a potential challenger to Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. He highlighted several posts purportedly made by the firm that questioned Abubakar’s ability to secure a U.S. visa and mocked his travel documents.
Arnold argued that these activities fall outside DCI Group’s declared mandate of promoting Nigeria’s efforts against terrorism and safeguarding religious communities. He contrasted this with Abubakar’s reported engagement of a different Washington lobbying firm for $1.2 million, which, according to its registration documents, is representing the former vice president and acting against the Nigerian government.
Arnold expressed concern that DCI Group’s actions could raise legal questions under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), pointing out that failure to properly disclose political activities on behalf of a foreign principal could lead to serious legal consequences. “In the United States, leaving political work off a FARA filing is not a typo. It can be charged as a felony if they did it on purpose,” Arnold stated.
Additionally, Arnold alleged that using public funds to finance activities targeting a political opponent could violate provisions of Nigeria’s Electoral Act, which prohibits the use of state resources to influence political candidates.
Arnold indicated that the contract between the Nigerian government and DCI Group, along with the firm’s public statements, are available for review and urged law enforcement agencies in both countries to investigate the allegations.
