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Aba Residents Jubilate Over Orji Kalu’s Jail Sentence
Some Aba residents in Abia State have lauded the 12-year jail term handed down to ex-Governor Orji Kalu of the State, by a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday.
Our correspondent reports that Justice Mohammed Idris convicted Kalu on 39 counts of N7.2 billion fraud and money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Aba is the main base of Kalu – now a senator – and some of the residents said that the judgment was a warning to political office holders to be careful.
A lawyer and social critic, Chief Ukpai Ukairo told our correspondent: “The judgment is momentous and shows that you can run but cannot hide.
“The judgment shows that though the wheel of justice grinds slowly, it will surely grind very well.
“This is the time for Abia to recover money stolen by that regime and use it meaningfully.
“It is also a warning to all those in positions of authority that abuse the trust of the people.”
He urged that assets of Slok Nig. Ltd. – Kalu’s company – should be forfeited to Abia Government and not Federal Government.
A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party in Abia, Chief Okey Nwagbara, on his part, lauded the judgment, saying that it demonstrated the commitment of the Federal Government to fight corruption.
He added that the judgment showed that the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government was not selective in its crusade against corruption.
“It is a very straight-forward judgment against corruption.
“The judgment shows that the judiciary is independent and actually the hope of the common man.
“I learnt that the court ruled that the property of Slok, Orji Kalu’s company, should be forfeited to the Federal Government.
“I want the Federal Government to do justice by converting the property of Slok to Abia Government’s, because the money he was accused of stealing, is Abia State Government’s,” he said.
Mr Uche Emeku of the Easy Life Initiative for Rural Youths (ELIRY) said that the judgment showed that the judiciary could act independently.
“It is not about Orji Kalu but sanity in our polity as long as it is not done with prejudice.
“I believe everybody who commits a crime should be punished for the crime he committed.
“Everybody should be very careful because it is about dispensing justice by those in the temple of justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has called on the former governor of Abia State and senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, to resign his position as the Chief Whip of the Senate because of his conviction, yesterday by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
CUPP said the conviction of Senator Kalu over alleged N7.65 billion has made him ineligible to continue to function as in that capacity.
The coalition in a statement, yesterday , by its spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, insisted that while he pursues his conviction in a higher court, it was proper for him to abdicate his office in the upper legislative chamber as Chief Whip.
The statement tagged: “Orji Kalu’s conviction and continued to stay in office as Senate’s principal officer/Chief Whip”, said the case would be a” Test case for the All Progressives Congress, APC’s anti-corruption fight.”
The statement by CUPP read thus:” President Muhanmadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress government wanted Senator Bukola Saraki and Justice Walter Onnogen to resign from their positions of Senate President and Chief Justice of Nigeria respectively even when there was no conviction.
“The government based its demand than on the ground that there were allegations levelled against these two former top government officials and charges instituted against them in different courts.
“Now that the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, who is among the principal officers imposed on the Nigerian Senate by the Buhari-led APC government has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction based on corruption charges, we join Nigerians in watching to see what will happen to Kalu.
“Will Kalu, a convict based on the court’s verdict, continue to function as the Senate’s Chief Whip under a government who claims to be fighting corruption?
“Can the Buhari’s APC and the senators have the balls to ask him to resign as a principal officer while pursuing his appeal as an ordinary senator?
“Let us see if the Buhari’s corruption fight is just a weapon for hunting perceived opponents or a serious fight to restore honour and credibility to governance.
“We are fully aware that the man has a right to appeal his conviction.
“Also, we are not asking that they ask him to resign as a senator as he has a right to stay until his appeal is concluded.
“What we are asking is if the Buhari’s APC can pressure him to step down as a principal officer of the Senate and continue pursuing his appeal to clear himself.
“As Orji Kalu goes to prison today, will he take the office with him to prison under a government that claims to be morally upright or will be getting injunction pending appeal etc?”
Recall that the Federal High Court in Lagos earlier, yesterday , sentenced the former governor of Abia State Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to 12 years imprisonment after being found guilty on all the 39-count charges brought against him.
He was convicted of N7.65billion fraud perpetuated when he was Abia State governor between 1999 and 2007.
Kalu was convicted alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and his former Abia State director of finance, Ude Udeogu.
The court also ordered forfeiture of all assets of his company to the federal government.
Justice Mohammed Idris, who delivered the sentence, had earlier declared him guilty of the charge in the case that had been on for 12 years.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has demanded quick and full resolution to the challenges arising from the gas leakage that occurred in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of the State.
The governor has also pledged to upgrade the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bille with a view to addressing the health challenges confronting the community.
Fubara made the pledge on Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt during an enlarged meeting of key stakeholders, comprising representatives of the Federal Government, the state government and leaders of the community.
The meeting was held to review the situation in the community and explore available opportunities to save the people from the adverse impacts of environmental pollution.
Addressing the journalists at the end of the meeting, the governor acknowledged the determination of the Federal Government and its agencies to get to the root cause of the problem in Bille and ensure that it is resolved permanently.
“The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. You’re aware that there is a case of gas leakage somewhere in Bille and the people have been making some requests that the government should come to their rescue to resolve the situation.
“As a state, we have gone to see the situation in the community, not alone but in conjunction with the industry operators and officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. What we are doing today is an enlarged meeting where all the parties are sitting together to look at the cause of the issue and the most possible way to get the problem resolved,” he said.
Fubara described the outcome of the meeting as successful, stressing that more action would be taken in the next couple of weeks to ensure that the issue is fully resolved.
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, who led the Federal Government’s delegation to the meeting, expressed appreciation to the governor for his warm hospitality and efforts to address the challenge in Bille community.
Ekpo explained that contrary to the perception in certain quarters, the Federal Government has not been silent over the “gas seepage” but has been working tirelessly towards finding a sustainable solution.
The minister explained that as soon as the incident was reported, the Federal Government deployed experts to the area to understudy the cause of the problem.
According to him, it was difficult at first to understand the cause of the problem since there were no oil or gas infrastructure within the vicinity of the incident, hence the need to conduct a more detailed investigation.
“The investigation is still going but we decided to do a follow-up visit to the area to talk to the people of Bille Community that we need collaboration on their part so that we would be able to arrive at a lasting solution.
“The safety of the people is paramount. We can understand their anxiety, the worry and the danger that this thing poses within the area, but the Federal Government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the problem. The primary responsibility of government is to take care of the welfare and security of the people and that is exactly why we are here to go and see things for ourselves,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, also explained that as the regulatory agency at the centre of the issue, no effort will be spared in the task of resolving the issue.
Eyesan pledged that the NUPRC and operators in the industry were prepared to address the requests of the impacted people in terms of the provision of potable water and fire trucks to the community.
The Public Relations Officer, Council of Chiefs, Bille Kingdom, Chief Rena Dappa, had during the meeting, presented the challenges facing the community and pleaded for government’s support to save the lives and livelihoods of the people.
President Bola Tinubu has announced the launch of a training programme for 5,000 young Nigerians as meter installers and technicians under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
The President stated that the scheme is aimed at creating jobs, closing the country’s metering gap and improving electricity supply.
The President disclosed this in a statement on his verified X handle yesterday, describing the initiative, tagged “The Power Force,” as part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to expand employment opportunities for young people.
According to Tinubu, the programme will equip participants with practical technical skills and connect them to employment opportunities in Nigeria’s power sector.
“Through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), which I established to close Nigeria’s metering gap, end estimated billing, protect consumers and strengthen the electricity market, we are opening a new pathway for 5,000 young Nigerians to be trained as meter installers and technicians under The Power Force. This programme is about jobs, skills and dignity,” he said.
Tinubu said the training would be open to eligible Nigerians who have completed their secondary school education, with a dedicated quota reserved for members of the National Youth Service Corps.
He noted that expanding electricity metering was critical to improving service delivery and promoting transparency in the power sector.
“When homes and businesses are properly metered, Nigerians can pay for what they actually use. When electricity distribution companies collect revenues more transparently and fairly, they are better able to reduce losses, maintain infrastructure, expand connections and invest in better service.
“This is how we build a power sector that is fairer to consumers, stronger for investors and better able to deliver reliable electricity to the Nigerian people,” the President said.
Tinubu said he had directed the Presidential Metering Initiative to work with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, and other relevant stakeholders to commence the programme within the next 30 days.
He encouraged qualified young Nigerians to apply, saying the initiative would provide them with marketable skills while supporting efforts to eliminate estimated billing and improve electricity access nationwide.
“I encourage eligible young Nigerians to apply. Join The Power Force. Learn a skill. Earn with dignity. Help us end estimated billing and be part of the work to light up Nigeria,” he added.
The Federal Government has announced that the third evacuation flight for Nigerians voluntarily returning from South Africa will arrive Lagos today having departed Johannesburg at midnight yesterday with 271 returnees on board.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Mr Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
According to the ministry, the Air Peace-operated flight is expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026.
It said the evacuation is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians from South Africa.
“The third evacuation flight operated by Air Peace will depart Johannesburg today by 12 midnight with 271 returnees. The estimated time of arrival in Lagos is 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026,” the statement read.
The latest batch of returnees follows earlier evacuation flights that brought hundreds of Nigerians back to the country under the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme.