Orji Uzor Kalu Says He Sold Arms to Anyone Able to Pay Before Quitting the Business

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has described a little-known chapter of his business life, saying he once traded in arms internationally and sold weapons to buyers who could afford them. The former Abia State governor made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television, where he was asked about his ventures before entering politics. Kalu confirmed that dealing in arms had been a major part of his business outside Nigeria. Asked directly whether he had been an arms dealer, he answered yes, then said he sold to anyone willing and able to pay. He added that what customers did with the weapons after a sale was not his concern, describing making money as his focus at the time. The senator said his customers were not limited to a particular political movement or organisation. When the interviewer asked whether he had supplied the African National Congress during its struggle against apartheid, Kalu said he sold to whoever had the money, mentioning potential buyers in countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Namibia. He did not disclose where he obtained the weapons, telling the interviewer that sourcing them was his business. Kalu also clarified that he was talking about heavy weapons traded between countries, rather than the small arms commonly associated with illegal firearms in Nigeria. Asked about Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Kalu did not confirm that he had sold him weapons. Instead, he repeated that he was prepared to sell to anyone who could pay and described Gaddafi as a good man. The interview also touched on Kalu’s connection with Nelson Mandela. Kalu said the late South African president introduced him to other African leaders, including former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, as well as current president Cyril Ramaphosa. He said he eventually left the arms business after his parents intervened, though the available account does not give further details about how they persuaded him to stop.