“Baseless, Unverified, and Trash” – Nworu Dismantles Orji Kalu’s Claim
All verifiable independent investigations, including those by local civil society groups and international observers estimate that fatalities linked to the southeastern crisis fall in the hundreds, primarily associated with isolated acts of "violence and enforcement of sit at home by criminals."
Abuja, Nigeria – November 24, 2025
A senior leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Chinasa Nworu, has strongly dismissed Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s recent claim that “over 30,000 people were killed” as a result of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s peaceful self-determination campaign.
Kalu made the claims during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, sparking widespread outrage, condemnation, and demands for evidence.
In a firm rebuttal released on his social media accounts on Monday, Nworu accused the former Abia governor of deliberately fabricating.
Nworu described the claim as a reckless “exaggeration,” insisting that it has no grounding in any independent report, human rights documentation, or credible intelligence assessment.
“Where Did Orji Kalu Get This Data?” – Nworu Demands Breakdown
Nworu challenged Orji Kalu to present a detailed breakdown of his “30,000 deaths” narrative, questioning the source, the methodology, and the credibility of such a number.
“Can Orji Uzor Kalu show the record and where he got this data of 30,000 killed because of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu?” Nworu asked.
He described the figure as “an exaggeration,” a careless fabrication that should “be thrown in the trash” where it belongs.
According to Nworu, all verifiable independent investigations, including those by local civil society groups and international observers estimate that fatalities linked to the southeastern crisis fall in the hundreds, primarily associated with isolated acts of “violence and enforcement of sit at home by criminals.”
Independent Reports Flatly Contradict Kalu’s Claim
Human rights bodies have consistently noted that while the region has suffered instability, no credible organization has ever reported casualties anywhere remotely close the 30,000 figure claimed by Kalu.
These groups have also documented that many incidents were perpetrated by criminal elements, some allegedly operating with political or security-linked complicity, seeking to exploit unrest for their own agendas.
“Orji Kalu’s claim lacks backing from independent human rights observers or intelligence assessments and should consequently be disregarded and thrown in the trash,” Nworu stated.
Critics have described the senator’s outburst as a politically motivated, an attempt to deflect attention from the federal government’s heavy-handed security operations in the Southeast and its failure to address legitimate and longstanding demand for a referendum.
Some observers have additionally faulted Kalu for supporting what has been widely described as “miscarriage of justice” following Justice James Omotosho’s ruling last Thursday, which sentenced IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment on terrorism-related charges. The judgment has sparked significant outrage.
Background: The Controversial Trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu
Kanu, leader of IPOB, was kidnapped in Kenya in June 2021 by the Nigerian government, in what international legal experts and the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention classified as extraordinary rendition. He was held in solitary confinement by the DSS for over four years despite multiple rulings both local and international ordering his release.
Legal analysts say the entire trial was marred by procedural violations, lack of transparency, and disregard for constitutional safeguards.
Kanu repeatedly asked the court to identify the specific law under which he was being tried. Instead of addressing the issue, Justice Omotosho was evasive and dismissive to the question and delivered what critics describe as a predetermined judgment.
In 2022, the UN Working Group declared his detention and prosecution unlawful and demanded his immediate release, an order that, like many others, was ignored by the Nigerian government.
Warnings Over Dangerous Rhetoric
More reactions trailing the claims have warned that such fabricated statistics by Senator Kalu can inflame tension, stigmatize the Igbo population, and justify further militarization of the region.
And, urged public figures to avoid making accusations without evidence, particularly at a time when the Southeast is struggling to overcome state linked instability.
“Careless statements like these put innocent lives at risk. They fuel ethnic profiling and legitimize further state violence. No responsible leader should propagate falsehood of this magnitude,” said Okey Maduforo, a community leader.
Calls for Accountability and Responsible Media Practises
Across the Southeast, citizens have urged Channels Television and other media platforms to challenge unsubstantiated claims with data and factual counterpoints rather than amplifying inflammatory rhetoric.
Civil society groups have also echoed concerns, noting that Nigeria’s public discourse is increasingly shaped by unverified statistics and political sensationalism rather than verified information.
Nworu’s response intensifies calls for only truth-based dialogue, transparency, and fairness as the only way for peace to reign in a country marred by Fulani terrorism, signaling an urgent need for accuracy and responsibility in national conversations, especially those involving conflict, security, and human lives.
As reactions continue to trail Orji Uzor Kalu’s controversial claim, observers say any attempt to scapegoat Nnamdi Kanu with “invented death tolls” harms the possibility of reconciliation, justice, and stability.
