RismadarVoice Reporters
November 10, 2026
Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has disclosed that he previously engaged in international arms trading, supplying heavy weapons to buyers who could afford them.
Kalu made the revelation during an interview on Arise Television on Monday while discussing his business activities and relationships with prominent African political leaders.
The former governor acknowledged that he had operated an arms business involving transactions between countries before abandoning the trade following objections from his parents.
When asked whether he had been an arms dealer, Kalu confirmed his involvement, explaining that his decision to withdraw from the business was influenced by his mother and father.
He maintained that his primary motivation was financial gain rather than the intended use of the weapons by purchasers.
According to him, he was prepared to sell weapons to buyers in different countries, provided they had the financial capacity to complete the transactions.
The senator mentioned the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia while explaining the international nature of his former business.
Asked whether he supplied weapons to the African National Congress during South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, Kalu said his business was not restricted to any particular organisation.
He also faced questions about possible transactions involving Libya under its former leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
Although he indicated that he would have sold weapons to buyers who could pay, he did not explicitly confirm a specific transaction with Gaddafi.
Kalu declined to disclose where he obtained the weapons, describing the sourcing arrangements as private business information.
He also distinguished his former trade from the circulation of small arms, insisting that he dealt in heavy weapons transferred between countries.
During the interview, Kalu discussed his longstanding relationships with South African political leaders, including former President Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma and current President Cyril Ramaphosa.
He said Mandela introduced him to several influential figures who subsequently held leadership positions in South Africa.
The senator’s remarks have raised questions about the nature of his previous arms transactions, including the identities of buyers and the regulatory arrangements governing the trade.
However, the interview did not establish when the transactions occurred, whether the necessary authorisations were obtained or whether any particular sale violated applicable laws.
Kalu maintained that he had discontinued the business after his parents advised him to do so.
