Mike Arnold Alleges U.S. Political Meddling Fueled Nigeria’s Christian Genocide, Says Obama Administration Empowered Jihadist Elements

Washington – November 24, 2025

American commentator and humanitarian worker Mike Arnold has made explosive statements regarding U.S. involvement in Nigeria’s internal political trajectory, alleging that actions taken by former President Barack Obama and officials within the Democratic Party contributed directly to the rise of terrorism and the subsequent Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Arnold, who has undertaken mission work in Nigeria since 2010 and has visited the country 16 times, made the remarks while answering a question about why Nigeria became a significant focus of his humanitarian and advocacy efforts.

“Nigeria Was the Only Nation Where Radical Islam Was Being Pushed Back” – Arnold

Reflecting on his early visits to the country, Arnold said that in 2010 Nigeria stood out globally as a nation where radical Islamic extremism was being actively resisted. According to him, this resistance was bolstered by the fact that Nigeria had a Christian president at the time.

He argued that this progress was disrupted when the Obama administration allegedly withdrew support from Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign and refused to designate Boko Haram, a group responsible for massacres, kidnappings, and widespread atrocities as a terrorist organization.

“When I first started going there in 2010, it was the only nation on earth where radical Islam was being pushed back. They had a Christian president about that time,” Arnold said.

“It was in 2010 when Barack Obama was trying to displace that Christian president with a radical Muslim from the North. He pulled our support from their fight against terror, refused to name Boko Haram a terrorist organization, and sent David Axelrod to be the campaign adviser for this radical Muslim who had called for global Shariah law. That’s what triggered the Christian genocide.”

Arnold stressed that in his view, these actions created a power shift that emboldened terrorists and deepened religious hostility across the country.

John Kerry’s Visit: “He Didn’t Visit the Christian President”

Arnold also referenced Secretary of State John Kerry’s highly publicized visit to Nigeria in January 2015. According to him, the Obama administration’s engagement was lopsided and signaled explicit political favoritism.

“Barack Hussein Obama sent John Kerry to Nigeria. But John Kerry did not go to visit the Nigerian Christian president,” Arnold stated.

“He visited the jihadist they expected to be the next president. The Democrat Party, Barack Obama, John Kerry, siding with Islamists again.”

Arnold argued that this diplomatic posture emboldened radical actors who were already threatening the unity of the country and the safety of Christian communities.

“The System Was Engineered for the North to Control the Country”

In his remarks, Arnold further explained Nigeria’s complex political arrangement, implying that the rise of a southern Christian president disrupted an entrenched expectation of northern political dominance.

“The Christian president got into office sort of unexpectedly,” he said.

“He was vice president and the president died, so he got in and then ran one election pretty quickly after that. This was not supposed to happen. The whole system is engineered for the North to have control of the country.”

Arnold argues that this disruption triggered a series of political maneuvers, both internal and external, aimed at restoring a northern Jihadist presidency, actions he believes exacerbated tensions and contributed to widespread violence targeting Christians.

A Controversial but Growing Narrative

Arnold’s statements add to a growing body of commentary, particularly among international Christian advocacy groups that accuses Western governments of playing indirect roles in Nigeria’s deteriorating security landscape.

While his allegations remain contentious, they reflect wider concerns about alleged political interference, declining protection for religious minorities, and the failure of global powers to respond decisively to extremist violence.

This exposure comes as former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly issued stern warnings to the Nigerian government, insisting that they end the spiraling insecurity or face potential U.S. intervention.

Trump has vowed that America would “annihilate” the terrorists responsible for what he described as the ongoing Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers have condemned the Nigerian government’s handling of nationwide insecurity, calling for robust American action, including targeted sanctions and other decisive measures, to pressure Abuja into protecting its citizens.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly documented massacres, abductions, and village destructions predominantly affecting Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and Northeast. Arnold argues that these tragedies cannot be separated from geopolitical decisions made more than a decade ago.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with terrorism, sectarian violence, and political instability, Arnold insists that acknowledging the causes both internal and external is essential for preventing further loss of life and ensuring meaningful international engagement moving forward.