Former Governor of Abia State and sitting Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) has lent weight to US President Donald Trump regarding killings of Christians in Nigeria, saying the former American leader “told the truth.”
Nevertheless, Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), said that the Nigerian Military was already reacting to Trump’s complaints.
“Before President Trump says a word, the American intelligence community must have found out where these terrorists are located,” he said. “You can see that the Nigerian Air Force is already acting, possibly using information shared by the US to bomb terrorist hideouts. That’s how it should be.”
He spoke while fielding questions from journalists on Tuesday about US concerns over attacks on Christians in Nigeria and Trump’s warning of possible military action.
According to Kalu, attacks across the country claimed both Christian and Muslim lives and must be confronted decisively.
“If it’s a lie, then the answer is that it’s not a lie because he said the truth. Nigerians are being killed, whether they are Christians or Muslims.
“There are jihadists who just want to destroy Nigeria. We should blacklist them without pity so that they will be smoked out.”
Kalu, a former Governor of Abia State, disclosed that he had discussed Nigeria’s security challenges with two former US Presidents—one Republican, one Democrat—and six serving US Senators, all of whom expressed willingness to assist Nigeria in fighting terrorism.
Identifying himself as “pro-America,” Kalu argued that global instability today can be traced to the US invasion and elimination of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, which he said triggered the proliferation of arms across Africa.
“When you killed Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, it became a problem because those people were maintaining their borders. After their deaths, light and heavy arms spilled all over the world, and we are suffering from it today.”
Kalu dismissed speculation that the US was targeting President Tinubu’s government, insisting that America’s focus was on jihadist groups destabilizing Nigeria.
“Nigerians are clapping hands and political opponents are thinking the US is after Tinubu’s government. No! They are going after the jihadists.”
Responding to questions about the 2027 presidential election, Kalu declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would face no real opposition, describing the contest as “Tinubu versus Tinubu.”
Kalu emphasized that the National Assembly, under Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is committed to backing Tinubu’s economic recovery drive through pro-people legislation.
“Whatever the problem, the Senate is more interested in making laws that will help President Tinubu overcome the economic problems our people are going through. We are focusing on ensuring Nigerians can eat three times a day.”
Addressing reports of an attempted impeachment move against Senate President Akpabio, Kalu dismissed the tension as a brief “family misunderstanding.”
“There were attempts, but we didn’t allow that to happen. We are one big family, and it’s not going to happen.”
