ABUJA, Nigeria — Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who represents Abia North, says separatist agitations linked to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, have resulted in more than 30,000 deaths and devastated businesses across the South-East.
Kalu made the remarks on Sunday, November 23, 2025, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, days after a federal high court in Abuja sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment for terrorism.
The former Abia governor said public discourse had focused narrowly on clashes between security forces and armed groups, overlooking the extensive civilian casualties and economic destruction caused by repeated unrest.
“We have to solve this problem holistically. Do you know that over 30,000 Igbos were killed? People who have shops lost their businesses,” he said.
He cited his personal experience as an entrepreneur to illustrate the impact.
“I used to sell my own manufactured products in Aba. I know what the numbers were. But people are just talking about soldiers killed and not the rest of them,” he said, recalling the losses suffered by his late mother’s friend whose rice business was ransacked.
“The woman who owed my mother about N4.2 million… she went bankrupt. Nobody talks about it.”
Kalu urged political actors and supporters to refrain from escalating tensions and instead pursue dialogue with the federal government.
“Let Igbos stop being emotional. I want us to settle down, go on our knees and find a way that the man can be released. It’s part of my job to do it,” he said, adding that he had been working with the federal government on a political solution.
He also defended Justice James Omotosho, the presiding judge who sentenced Kanu, saying criticism of the verdict was misplaced.
“Nobody should question the decision of Justice Omotosho. If you are displeased, you go to the appellate court. It’s not to start insulting the man,” he said, adding that Kanu had been “unruly and unnecessarily aggressive towards the judge.”
Kalu contrasted that with his own conduct during his corruption trial.
“If you remember, I was given 12 years (imprisonment), but I never insulted the judge,” he said.
“We must condemn certain behaviours. You cannot rant in a court of competent jurisdiction.”
Turning to the broader national security situation, the senator said the recent surge in kidnappings, school closures and armed attacks across the country bore the hallmarks of political interference ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What we are seeing is always routine, something that goes with election. And when you have election, people will try to pressurise government in power for all kinds of things to start happening,” he said.
Kalu alleged that both local and foreign actors were involved in mobilising mercenaries to create instability.
“The terrorists and the bandits are orchestrated by some members of the international community and local people who really want to destabilise government,” he said.
“These people are actually mercenaries brought by politicians… people centred to destabilise a president that is ready to fight for our economy.”
Despite the rising insecurity, he expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s ability to respond effectively.
“The president has shown that he is equal to the task,” he said.
