Former Abia State governor and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, has accused politicians of orchestrating the recent rise in killings and abductions across Nigeria to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Kalu said the wave of attacks is not random but part of a calculated plan, drawing parallels to attempts to destabilise former President Goodluck Jonathan. He declined to name the alleged sponsors but suggested both local and foreign actors are involved. “What we are seeing is always a routine, something that goes with the elections. When you have an election, people will try to pressure the government in power for all kinds of things to start happening. And you can remember when President Jonathan was here, a similar thing happened,” Kalu stated. He added that the ongoing insecurity is a strategic move linked to political manoeuvring ahead of upcoming elections. According to him, the attacks mirror past periods of heightened unrest aimed at weakening the incumbent government. Despite his concerns, Kalu expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s response to the crisis, noting that the President had cancelled official engagements to focus on national security following several high-profile abductions. “For the first time, you see the president cancelling all his engagements. Today is Sunday, and he faced security challenges. He faced everything about security,” he said. Kalu assured Nigerians that the government is making every effort to rescue abducted victims, including recently kidnapped schoolgirls. “Those girls will be recovered. The government is making every effort to make sure these people are recovered,” he said, describing the current situation as “not the best of times” for the country. He also praised the military and security agencies, acknowledging that service chiefs and operatives have been fully deployed to restore peace and security.
