By Our Foreign Correspondent—
A coalition of US and Nigerian civil society groups has demanded urgent action over what they describe as a worsening humanitarian catastrophe and a systematic assault on religious freedom in Nigeria.
The Save Nigeria Group USA and the broader US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition held a public rally on Saturday, 20 June 2026, at Macpherson Square, followed by a high-profile gala on Tuesday, 23 June at the Hilton Garden Inn Washington DC/U.S. Capitol.
Organisers have not minced words: they accuse the Nigerian government and militant groups of complicity in targeted violence, forced displacement, and the persecution of Christian communities. The coalition insists the crisis has reached a point where international silence is no longer acceptable.
The “SAVE NIGERIA” rally (10:00 AM ET, 20 June) was billed as a peaceful but powerful assembly of the Nigerian diaspora, faith leaders, and human rights defenders.
Their message was blunt – the world must stop looking away. The coalition is demanding immediate policy action from the United States and other nations to halt the bloodshed and protect the most vulnerable.
Three days later, the tone shifted from protest to recognition – but the urgency remains. The US-Nigeria Faith Heroes Award Gala to honour those who have risked everything to defend religious liberty.
In a move that has already been generating headlines, President Donald Trump had been invited as the Special Guest of Honour and will receive the 2026 Faith Defender Award.
He was joined by a roster of senior US political figures, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Representative Christopher Smith (NJ-04), and Representative Riley Moore (WV-02).
The evening was a forum to also posthumously recognise the late Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) and Leah Sharibu, the schoolgirl held captive by Boko Haram for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo and Nigeria’s fallen soldiers – their tribute to be accepted by General Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence – was also honoured.
Among the confirmed guests are *Ambassador Sam Brownback, Dr Katrina Lantos Swett, Pastor E.A. Adeboye (General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God), Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US *Colonel Lateef Are (rtd), and Evangelist Alveda King.
The event is strictly leaders-only, with an expected 150 attendees. Invitations have also gone out to Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, senior officials from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom (OIRF).
The coalition has made clear that these events are not mere ceremonies. They are a gauntlet thrown down to both the Nigerian government and the international community. The message: the war against Christianity and other faiths in Nigeria must end – and those who stand in the way will be named and shamed, while those who fight back will be honoured.
The US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition brings together 27 organisations, including Equipping the Persecuted, Save the Persecuted Christians, Africa Arise International, the US-Nigeria Law Group, and the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON). Their collective demands are clear: accountability, protection, and a halt to the violence that has uprooted millions.
