By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, has called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and the United States to end terrorism and sectarian killings across the country, stressing that American intervention could help the Nigerian government “smoke out” terrorists and restore peace.
Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly, Kalu, a former Abia State governor and Senate Chief Whip, said there was nothing untrue about the recent comments credited to former US President Donald Trump regarding the killing of Christians in Nigeria.
According to him, both Christians and Muslims have been victims of terrorist attacks in various parts of the country, and the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is determined to end the menace.
He said, “Did Donald Trump lie? The answer is no. Nigerians are being killed — Christians and Muslims alike. When terrorists attack in Plateau, they kill Christians; in Zamfara, they kill Muslims in mosques.
“These people are jihadists who want to destroy Nigeria. We should call them what they are and deal with them without pity,” Kalu said.
He disclosed that he had personally engaged with key figures in Washington, including former American presidents and over 60 members of the US Congress, who expressed readiness to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
He said, “Before President Trump speaks on any issue, the American intelligence community would have verified their facts. I believe their information is helping the Nigerian Air Force in recent operations. You’ve seen the military bomb the hideouts of these terrorists in the past few days. That’s how it should be.
Kalu, however, blamed the proliferation of arms and instability in Africa partly on the fall of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, noting that their deaths created a security vacuum that unleashed weapons across the Sahel.
Kalu said, “It was America that caused this problem. When they killed Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, the borders collapsed, and arms started moving freely.
“Those men were maintaining stability in their regions, but America remains the leader of the free world, and what the President of the US says carries weight. Nigeria will continue to engage diplomatically to put its house in order.”
On Nigeria’s internal affairs, Kalu dismissed rumours of division within the Senate or any plot to remove the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio. He said the upper chamber remains “one big family” focused on legislation that supports President Tinubu’s economic reforms.
“Even if there were such moves, we didn’t allow it to happen. The Senate is more interested in enacting laws to help President Tinubu address the economic challenges Nigerians are facing. We want our people to eat three times a day,” he said.
Responding to questions about the wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Kalu insisted that no one was being coerced to join the party. He described Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo as a “progressive” and expressed confidence that he would eventually join the APC.
“We have not forced any governor to join our party. Soludo is my friend and a progressive like President Tinubu, like me, and like other governors in the South-East. I believe he will join us because he has no alternative,” Kalu declared.
The senator also reacted to questions about his brother’s reported ambition to contest the 2027 governorship election, saying his loyalty would depend on party affiliation.
“If my brother runs on the APC platform, I’ll support him. If he’s in another party, I’ll fight him politically. That’s the truth. I’ll always stand with the APC,” Kalu said.
On the economy, Kalu acknowledged the hardship many Nigerians are currently facing but maintained that the Tinubu administration is taking the proper steps to revive growth.
