Kalu Faults IPOB Over killings And Sit-at-home Crisis

A heated confrontation has erupted between Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and the Indigenous People of Biafra after the group issued an ultimatum over his comments on insecurity in the Southeast.

The clash followed his recent interview where he criticised the sit-at-home killings and rising violence linked to separatist activities.

The dispute grew after Kalu dismissed the group’s warnings, insisting that IPOB has no basis to challenge his views on the suffering faced by Igbo communities. He said decades of progress in the region are being destroyed by intimidation, fear, and forced shutdowns that keep traders away from work and weaken local economies.

During the interview, Kalu said the death toll linked to violent actions around sit-at-home orders has grown into the tens of thousands. He described towns like Ihiala, Orlu, and Uli as places where residents now live in fear, adding that the region cannot regain stability through force or threats.

He rejected claims that he sponsors armed groups, describing them as fabricated. He reminded viewers of his earlier work as governor, saying his security initiatives operated with formal agencies and not through hidden militias. He challenged the group’s spokesperson to appear publicly for an open debate instead of issuing statements.

Kalu also pointed to his long relationship with the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, saying the former Biafran leader would not support the violent approach currently tearing through the region. He said the Southeast needs dialogue, trade, and peaceful political engagement, not another cycle of conflict.

Addressing speculations about rivalry with other Southeast figures in the federal government, Kalu dismissed the claims and described the leaders mentioned as long-time allies. He also defended President Bola Tinubu against calls for resignation, linking insecurity to global arms flow and internal sabotage rather than presidential failure.

He further confirmed that he recently undertook a security assessment mission outside the country but declined to share details, saying the federal government is strengthening border protection.

Kalu ended his remarks by calling for an end to violence, insisting that the region must return to business, investment, and negotiation. He said the ongoing crisis is draining the Southeast and cannot be justified in the name of liberation.