Orji Kalu: Admits Arms Sales to Gaddafi for Purely Financial Gain

• Senator Orji Kalu, a former Abia State Governor, admitted to selling heavy weapons internationally.
• His clients included the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and his motivation was solely financial.
• Kalu stated he was not concerned with how the weapons were used and sold to "anybody that wants to buy."
• He ceased the arms trade due to pressure from his parents.
• Kalu also discussed his long-standing political relationships with South African leaders, including Nelson Mandela.

He explicitly stated that his primary driver for engaging in these transactions was purely financial gain, asserting that he was not concerned with the ultimate deployment or consequences of the weaponry he sold.

Senator Orji Kalu, a prominent Nigerian political figure who previously served as Abia State Governor, recently made a startling admission regarding his past professional life. During an interview conducted on Arise Television, Kalu openly acknowledged his deep involvement in the international arms trade. He revealed that he had supplied heavy weaponry to various clients across different nations, notably including the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Kalu explicitly stated that his primary driver for engaging in these transactions was purely financial gain, asserting that he was not concerned with the ultimate deployment or consequences of the weaponry he sold. He famously remarked, "I was selling guns to make money, whether they blow up, it's not my business," underscoring his profit-driven motivation.

Kalu clarified that his extensive arms dealing activities were not confined to specific political or liberation movements, such as the African National Congress (ANC) during South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle. Instead, he maintained that he was prepared to sell to "anybody that wants to buy," provided they had the necessary funds, citing potential buyers in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia. He consistently emphasized that his trade involved "heavy arms" exchanged "country to country," distinguishing his operations from the illicit trafficking of small arms. When questioned about the origins of the weapons he supplied, Kalu firmly declined to disclose any information, deeming it a private matter and stating, "It's only my business." He ultimately attributed his departure from the lucrative, albeit controversial, business to the direct intervention and insistence of his parents, who demanded he cease the trade.

Beyond the revelations concerning his past arms dealing, Senator Kalu also used the Arise TV interview to shed light on his enduring and significant relationships with key political figures in South Africa. He traced these connections back to his association with the revered late President Nelson Mandela, who, according to Kalu, personally introduced him to several influential leaders, including former President Thabo Mbeki and the current President Cyril Ramaphosa. Kalu further recounted a specific detail from Mandela regarding the succession within the ANC, where Mandela reportedly indicated that Mbeki's father had made a greater contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle than Ramaphosa's father. This consideration, Kalu suggested, played a role in the party's decision to select Mbeki as its presidential running mate. He also noted that Mbeki later introduced him to former President Jacob Zuma, underscoring how his ties with South Africa's political leadership have remained strong across successive administrations.

This admission by a sitting Nigerian Senator regarding past international arms trafficking could trigger investigations into potential violations of international arms control treaties, sanctions regimes, and domestic laws against illicit trade. Lawyers should monitor for any official responses or legal actions initiated by national or international bodies, as this could set a precedent for accountability for historical illicit activities by public figures.

Source: Original reporting via Daily Trust