Securing America TV with Dede Laugesen & Mike Arnold

Dede Laugesen, CEO & President at Save the Persecuted Christians & Mike Arnold, Founder, Africa Arise International | Africa Arise USA

The discussion focused on the growing jihadist violence and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, framing it as part of a broader international extremist network stretching across Africa and the Middle East. Dede Laugesen explained that militant groups operating throughout the Sahel are interconnected through funding, arms trafficking, and foreign influence, with Nigeria being especially significant because of its large population, abundant oil, and rare earth minerals. Mike Arnold argued that Chinese mining interests exploit regions devastated by jihadist attacks, claiming that communities are displaced or destroyed so minerals can be extracted, while corruption within Nigeria’s government and military enables the violence to continue. The conversation also linked heroin trafficking and international terror financing to the instability in the region. Arnold called for stronger international intervention, including investigations into Nigerian leadership and alleged terror sponsors, urgent humanitarian aid for displaced Christians, military action against jihadist groups, and reforms to ensure free elections and self-determination for affected communities.