Boulos, SCOA Threaten Lawsuit over Viral Coastal Road Fraud Allegations

Wale Igbintade

A senior legal team representing Lebanese-Nigerian business magnate, Massad Fares Boulos, the Boulos family, and SCOA Nigeria Plc, has issued a stern cease-and-desist notice, demanding the immediate withdrawal of what it described as “malicious, scandalous, and highly defamatory” videos currently circulating on social media.

The lawyers warned that failure to comply with the directive could result in legal action against those responsible for publishing and disseminating the content, which allegedly links their clients to claims surrounding the coastal road project.

The notice, signed by renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro, alleged that the viral content contains false claims suggesting that the Boulos family and SCOA Nigeria Plc improperly benefitted from federal government budget allocations linked to the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project.

According to the legal letter, the allegations being circulated online are “unfounded, baseless, and a figment of the author’s imagination,” insisting that at no point did the clients receive, appropriate, or benefit from any funds from the Federal Government or any public or private entity in relation to the project.

“Our clients categorically deny these allegations in their entirety,” the letter stated, adding that the publications have caused “serious harm” to the reputation and business standing of the affected parties.

The lawyers expressed concern that the videos have continued to spread widely across various social media platforms, warning that the content is misleading and damaging to the long-established commercial reputation of the Boulos family and their corporate interests.

The legal team further demanded the immediate removal of all offending materials, including videos, posts, and any derivative content, and called on individuals, bloggers, and media platforms to desist from further circulation or amplification of the allegations.

The notice also issued a clear warning that failure to comply would trigger full legal action without further recourse. 

It stated that the clients are prepared to initiate proceedings for defamation and pursue claims for substantial damages for reputational harm and emotional distress.

In addition, the letter signaled potential criminal complaints under Nigeria’s cybercrime framework, indicating that the conduct may amount to offences under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Amendment Act, 2024, particularly provisions relating to cyberbullying, online harassment, and digital defamation.

The controversy comes amid heightened public scrutiny of major federal infrastructure initiatives, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project, which has generated significant public debate and online commentary.

The legal notice concluded by reserving all rights of the clients and emphasising that the action was issued without prejudice to any further remedies available under Nigerian law