Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has defended recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump on insecurity in Nigeria, insisting that the remarks reflect the country’s grim reality.

Speaking with journalists at the National Assembly in Abuja, Kalu said Trump’s statements on religiously motivated killings should not be dismissed, noting that both Christians and Muslims continue to fall victim to extremist attacks across the country.

“Let’s be honest. What Donald Trump said is not a lie. Nigerians are being killed, whether they are Christians or Muslims,” he said. “If they attack in Plateau, the victims are mostly Christians; in Zamfara, they are Muslims. These people are jihadists. They want to destroy Nigeria, and we must call them by their name without pity.”

Kalu, who maintains close ties with American political figures, revealed that he had spoken with two former U.S. presidents, one Democrat and one Republican, as well as more than 60 U.S. lawmakers, who he said expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in combating terrorism.

“Before President Trump said anything, I’m sure the American intelligence community had already verified the facts. You can see that the Nigerian Air Force has intensified operations in the past few days, possibly based on intelligence from U.S. authorities,” he added.

Identifying himself as “pro-America,” Kalu urged Nigerian authorities to deepen cooperation with Washington while calling on citizens and the media to help security agencies identify extremist elements in their communities.

He, however, blamed the United States and its allies for contributing to the proliferation of arms in Africa following the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein.

“Let’s also be honest — America partly created this problem. After they killed Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, arms flooded Africa. But as the leader of the free world, the U.S. still has a role to play in restoring order,” he said.

Kalu expressed optimism that the Tinubu administration would overcome current security and economic challenges, praising ongoing military operations in the North.

He dismissed reports of attempts to unseat the Senate President, saying the Senate remains united in its support for President Tinubu’s economic agenda.

“At the beginning, there were indeed stories about moves to remove the Senate President. But as you can see, everything is calm. The Senate is focused on making laws that will help President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tackle the economic challenges facing our people,” he said.

On the recent wave of defections to the APC, Kalu said no one was being forced to join the ruling party.

“Not by me, not by any senator, and not by the Senate President or the President,” he stated. “As for me, I work 100% for the APC. I’ll campaign and ensure victory for our President and every APC candidate.”

He added that he would back his brother’s political ambitions under the APC but would oppose any governor still in another party.

On Anambra State politics, Kalu predicted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo would eventually join the APC after pending court matters are resolved.

“Soludo is a progressive like President Tinubu, like me, like the Senate President. He has no alternative but to join us in the APC,” he said.

Assessing President Tinubu’s prospects in the 2027 general elections, Kalu declared that the president remains the dominant political force.

“The 2027 election will be Tinubu versus Tinubu — there’s no cohesive opposition,” he said. “Our party is strong, grounded, and with the people.”

Kalu acknowledged the economic hardship facing Nigerians but expressed confidence in ongoing reforms.

“As a businessman, I feel the pain but also see the progress. The macroeconomic indicators are improving, but the microeconomic situation is still tough. The real challenge is getting relief to the masses,” he said.