Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Abia State and current representative of Abia North Senatorial District, has alleged that members of Nigeria’s political elite are fuelling the Boko Haram insurgency to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Kalu made the claim during an interview on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television on Monday. He said the recent resurgence of Boko Haram attacks is not coincidental but rather the result of deliberate efforts by politically motivated actors.
“The political class is behind Boko Haram. They are using terrorism as a tool to fight Tinubu, just like they did with past administrations,” Kalu stated.
Pressed for clarification on who he referred to as the “political class,” the senator named politicians, influential business moguls, and senior civil servants as those allegedly involved.
“People in the political class are the ones fuelling Boko Haram. This is a political war. Some of them aren’t after money—they’re after power. They want to tear down the system just to grab control, and that’s not how power should be acquired,” he said.
According to Kalu, the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria is not merely coincidental or organic but is instead a calculated plot by powerful individuals dissatisfied with the current political order.
“The insecurity in Nigeria is politically induced. These individuals—politicians, businessmen, civil servants—are not just seeking financial gain. They’re looking to hijack political power,” he added.
He concluded by calling on Nigerians to set aside selfish ambitions and unite for national development.
“If we consider ourselves friends and patriots, we should care about the ordinary Nigerian. We must work together to build a better country,” Kalu urged.
Kalu’s remarks followed a deadly attack just a day earlier in Borno State, where nine passengers were reportedly killed by Boko Haram insurgents using improvised explosive devices in Mairari Village, Guzamala Local Government Area.
Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, confirmed the incident and described the killings as “inhumane,” urging the military to intensify operations to reclaim Guzamala from insurgent control.
Similarly, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, expressed concern over the recent spike in terrorist attacks across the state.
