Nigeria Update
BIWEEKLY WEBINAR STARTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
Join us tomorrow, April 15th, at 11:00 AM ET, and every other Wednesday through June, for news and analysis on what’s happening to Christians in Nigeria.
April 15th, at 11:00 AM ET
Save the Persecuted Christians, in partnership with the U.S. Save Nigeria Group Civil Society Coalition, will present a biweekly update on the state of Genocide in Nigeria.
Host:
Dede Laugesen, President & CEO, Save the Persecuted Christians, USA
Dede is president of Save the Persecuted Christians, a U.S. non-profit founded in 2018 that raises awareness about the severe persecution faced by over 388 million Christians worldwide amid brutal violence in a record number of countries. She leads a coalition of more than 200 civil society leaders dedicated to exposing perpetrators and urging officials to hold them accountable for crimes against humanity. Previously, she helped direct the Committee on the Present Danger: China and the Sovereignty Coalition and served as a coalition director for the 2016 Donald J. Trump presidential campaign in Colorado. Married for over 30 years, she is the mother of six sons. Dede, a Colorado native, and her husband Wayne have resided in Colorado since 1992.
Dede went to Nigeria in January, 2023, just before Bola Tinubu became president in Nigeria. She went to see for herself what was happening. She went to Makurdi in Benue and Jos in Plateau. The small group traveled with armed guards on the dangerous roads where kidnappers lie in wait. They visited massive IDP camps where people like us — families, children, the elderly, everyone — live in the mud and dirt. She encountered thousands upon thousands of people, most Christian, who had been forced from their lands by Fulani militia and other Islamic jihadists. She encountered the truth and she’s bringing it to you.
Participants:
Alheri Bawa Magaji, Co-Director, RADi Foundation, Nigeria
She is a passionate humanitarian, an advocate for social equality and an entrepreneur who has been at the forefront of intervening for vulnerable people. With two master’s degrees from the Eastern Mediterranean University in North Cyprus, and valuable working experience as a researcher and gender specialist with the Center for Women Studies also in North Cyprus, she brings valuable experience to RADi, working with internally displaced people and empowering them.
She is also the country facilitator for Revealing Light Ministries, a trauma healing organization. Both RADi and Revealing Light are coalition partners with Save the Persecuted Christians.
Douglas Burton, TruthNigeria.com, USA
Douglas Burton is an award-winning conflict reporter specializing in Nigerian war news. Doug mentors conflict reporters in North-Central Nigeria as Managing Editor of TruthNigeria.com. Since 2019, he has authored hundreds of reports appearing in The Epoch Times, The Catholic News Agency, and Providence Magazine, among others. His work has been featured in Fox Nation, Christian Broadcasting Network, Epoch Times TV, The Westminster Institute, and The Washington Times. Doug was honored by the Catholic Media Association in June 2023 as a First Place Winner for Best Coverage of Religious Liberty Issues.
Having served the Washington Times Corporation as an assignment editor for 2 decades, Doug brought his skills to Baghdad in 2005 to support the U.S. occupation for 2 years. From 2015, he began covering the campaign against the Islamic State as an independent reporter until 2017 and switched to reporting on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria shortly after joining the Save the Persecuted Christians coalition. Notably, he produced the most complete story about the blasphemy murder-by-mob of Deborah Emmanuel on May 12, 2022, in Nigeria’s northern city of Sokoto.
Judd Saul, Equipping the Persecuted, USA and Nigeria
Judd Saul, is a family man, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, an entrepreneur, and a missionary who embarked on a call to action in Nigeria in 2011. He and his wife, Sherry, have 5 children, all of whom witnessed the vision unfold when their Grandfather, Duane Wessels, invited Judd to join him on a mission trip. The trip changed Judd’s life forever. He realized the stark reality of the risk and sacrifice facing these people, and a burden was placed on his heart for the lost and persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Since then, ministering to Nigerians has been a part of Judd’s life, with him regularly serving in Nigeria for over 10 years and continuing to visit at least 3-4 times a year. It was apparent that escalating attacks outpaced the few Christian missions and organizations that were effectively responding to them. After talking with local ministers and missionaries, Judd decided to start Equipping The Persecuted to quickly respond to and help persecuted Christians in need.
The local leadership affirmed that there are effective ways to help persecuted Christians in addition to victim aftercare. A proactive, prevention mission was put together with a team of “tested by fire” pastors, missionaries, and dedicated supporters to avert crises - creating the boots on the ground, locally-managed Equipping The Persecuted, which has been instrumental in providing early alerts to targeted communities.
Stephen Osemwegie, President, Save Nigeria Group, USA Nigerian Diaspora
Stephen Osemwegie is a new and very welcome coalition partner for Save the Persecuted Christians. He is the President and Founder of Save Nigeria Group USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the welfare of Nigerians both in the United States and in Nigeria. Under his leadership, the organization champions education, human rights, religious freedom, healthcare access, and advocacy for democracy and equality. Save Nigeria Group is leading a large coalition of Nigerian civil society leaders in both countries to unite to end the Genocide of Christians. Save the Persecuted Christians is happy to be among its members.
Born in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, Stephen is a devout Christian and an active member of the United States Evangelical Free Church in the Midwest. He is married to Dr. Chioma Osemwegie, and they have three children. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nigeria, Enugu, a Master’s Degree from South West Minnesota State University, and is pursuing a Ph.D. at Columbia International University, USA.
A successful entrepreneur and former Labour Party Gubernatorial Aspirant in Edo State, he continues to inspire reform and youth empowerment through his vision of “A New Direction for Nigeria.” Stephen represents a rising generation of young leaders committed to transparency, good governance, and building a prosperous, just, and secure Nigeria.
Nigeria Update
11 am ET, Wednesday, April 15, 2026
(This will be a biweekly event every other Wednesday
starting April 15 and continuing through June 24.)
News from TruthNigeria
Five Killed, 150 Abducted in Niger in Fulani Militia Assault
April 8, 2026
https://truthnigeria.com/2026/04/five-killed-150-abducted-in-niger-in-fulani-militia-assault/
Easter Sunday Betrayal: Army Rescue Story Collapses as 36 Christians Remain Missing
April 7, 2026
https://truthnigeria.com/2026/04/easter-sunday-betrayal-army-rescue-story-collapses-as-36-christians-remain-missing/
Easter Marked by Bloodshed in Northern Nigeria as Attacks Hit Churches, Villages
April 6, 2026
https://truthnigeria.com/2026/04/easter-marked-by-bloodshed-in-northern-nigeria-as-attacks-hit-churches-villages/
Easter Massacre in Benue State as Jihadists Kill 17 in New Attack
April 6, 2026
https://truthnigeria.com/2026/04/easter-massacre-in-benue-state-as-jihadists-kill-17-in-new-attack/
Easter Massacre in Southern Kaduna: Fulani Gunmen Kill 15
April 5, 2026
https://truthnigeria.com/2026/04/easter-massacre-in-southern-kaduna-fulani-gunmen-kill-15-before-army-rescues-31/
Palm Sunday Killings Expose Nigeria’s Terror Financing Crisis
April 2, 2026
https://truthnigeria.com/2026/04/palm-sunday-killings-expose-nigerias-terror-financing-crisis/
Plan to Attend: U.S. Save Nigeria Group Civil Society Coalition
RALLY FOR NIGERIA | SATURDAY, JUNE 20 | 10 am - 3 pm ET |
LAFAYETTE PARK > In front of the White House
Can the webinar on Nigeria be replayed anywhere? Sometimes a link is sent out for those not able to participate, I would really like to hear form the panel.