By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Senator representing Abia North, Orji Kalu, has disclosed that he previously traded in heavy weapons internationally, saying he sold arms to buyers who could afford them before abandoning the business at his parents’ insistence.

Kalu made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Monday, while discussing his longstanding relationships with former and current South African leaders.

The former Abia State governor said his business interests previously extended beyond Nigeria, adding that he dealt in heavy weapons sold from one country to another.

When asked by the interviewer whether he was an arms dealer, Kalu responded, “Yes, so I stopped because my…”

Explaining why he abandoned the business, he said his parents asked him to quit.

“But my parents, my mother, my father came and said I must stop, and I stopped,” he said.

Asked whether he sold weapons to people who intended to use them to kill others, Kalu dismissed the suggestion, insisting that his interest was making money.

“No, no, no, no, no, no. I was selling guns to make money, whether they blow up it’s not my business,” he said.

The interviewer subsequently asked whether he supplied weapons to the African National Congress during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

Kalu denied selling exclusively to the ANC, saying his customers included anyone willing to pay for the weapons.

“No, I was selling to anybody who wants to buy. If you have the money, you want to buy in D.R.C, I sell to you, you want to buy in Namibia, you want to buy…” he said.

Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Deputy Governorship Candidate in Kano State, has threatened legal action against the newly appointed Commissioner for Information, accusing him of making false, malicious and damaging allegations against his person and family.

Kwankwaso, a former Kano State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, gave the Information Commissioner a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the alleged defamatory statements and tender an unreserved public apology to him, his family and the people of Kano State.

The former commissioner made the demand in a statement issued in response to comments allegedly made by the Information Commissioner during a programme, in which he accused Kwankwaso of having visited several rehabilitation centres across the world and suggested that his personal circumstances influenced his father, former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to establish the Kiru Reformatory Institute.

Kwankwaso described the allegations as false, malicious and an attempt to assassinate his character, insisting that they were intended to distract the people of Kano State from pressing issues of governance.

On the establishment of the Kiru Reformatory Institute, the NDC deputy governorship candidate maintained that the claim that the institution was established because of him was historically inaccurate.

He explained that during his father’s second tenure as governor of Kano State, when the institute was established, he was residing in Dubai and was not even in the country.

According to him, the Kiru Reformatory Institute was established as a deliberate government policy aimed at reforming, rehabilitating and reintegrating young people into society by providing them with opportunities for a better future.

Kwankwaso argued that reducing the establishment of the institution to a personal family matter was an insult to the people of Kano State and thousands of young people whose lives had reportedly been transformed through the initiative.

Reacting to allegations that his father did not trust him with the management of Skyline University, Mewar University or his farm, Kwankwaso dismissed the claims as lies.

He said his father had mentored and trained him to become an independent person rather than someone who depended on family connections or financial handouts.

The former commissioner further disclosed that he had established several businesses through personal effort, including a rice mill which, according to him, provides employment opportunities for people and contributes to Kano State’s economy.

He maintained that his business achievements were products of hard work, discipline and the values instilled in him by his father, insisting that the suggestion that his father did not trust him was unfounded.

On his previous appointment as Commissioner for Youth and Sports under the Kano State Government, Kwankwaso expressed appreciation to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for giving him the opportunity to serve in the State Executive Council.

He said he discharged his responsibilities with sincerity, commitment and loyalty to the people of Kano State, particularly the youth population.

Kwankwaso, however, condemned the Information Commissioner’s alleged description of his appointment as “executive rehabilitation,” arguing that the remark was an insult to the office he occupied and the responsibilities he discharged.

He insisted that his appointment was based on the responsibility to serve the state and not an attempt to rehabilitate him, adding that such comments also undermined the dignity of the State Executive Council and the youths he represented.

The NDC chieftain also questioned the responsibility of the newly appointed Information Commissioner, asking whether he was appointed to communicate government policies, programmes and achievements to the public or to engage in personal attacks against political opponents.

He further challenged the commissioner to clarify whether the allegations were his personal invention or whether he was acting on behalf of his principal.

Kwankwaso maintained that the office of the Commissioner for Information was an important public institution that should be used to inform citizens about government activities rather than serve as a platform for character assassination, personal insults and political attacks.

He warned that failure to withdraw the alleged statements and issue the demanded apology within 48 hours would leave him with no option but to seek legal redress.

The former commissioner said he was prepared to pursue every available legal remedy to protect his reputation, his family’s name and his record of public service.

He added that he would not allow himself to be drawn into personal insults, stressing that his attention remained focused on his political aspiration and efforts to contribute to a better future for Kano State.

Kwankwaso concluded by urging political actors to focus on issues, policies, programmes and performance rather than resorting to allegations bordering on the personal character of political opponents.

The Information Commissioner was accused of making the allegations, but his response to Kwankwaso’s 48-hour ultimatum was not contained in the statement.

The management of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) is set to fine the Kano State Government following the absence of the state’s contingent from the 2026 Ardova Handball Premier League.

The 2026 Ardova Handball Premier League, organised by the Handball Federation of Nigeria, is scheduled to run from November 7 to 21, 2026, in Lagos State. The competition features 12 teams in the men’s category and 10 teams in the women’s category.

Reports indicate that former champions Kano Pillars Handball Club failed to participate in the tournament, which commenced on November 7, due to a lack of funding from the Kano State Government to sponsor the team’s participation.

Credible sources disclosed that the state government had yet to release the funds required for the team’s participation, raising concerns over its commitment to the development of sports in the state.

The Kano State Sports Commission operates under the state government, with its administrative affairs overseen through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. However, reports suggest that the commission has repeatedly faced difficulties in securing the necessary approvals to carry out its responsibilities.

Kano Pillars Handball Club is one of Nigeria’s most successful handball teams, having previously won the Nigerian Men’s Handball Premier League in 2019 at the Rowe Park Sports Centre in Lagos.

The club also emerged champions in 2021 after winning nine of its 11 matches. In 2022, it successfully defended its title, finishing the campaign unbeaten with 65 points from 22 matches.

These achievements underline Kano Pillars’ status as one of the country’s leading handball clubs.

However, the alleged failure of the Kano State Government to release the necessary funds has prevented the team from participating in the ongoing competition in Lagos.

In a related development, an exclusive report published this week indicated that Kano Pillars could be heading for another major setback, as Technical Adviser Daniel Ogunmodede is reportedly considering leaving the club over financial challenges and poor welfare conditions.

Sources also disclosed that the Kano State Government had not released any funds to the team.

Efforts to obtain comments from relevant government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, the Sports Commission and the Governor’s spokesperson, were unsuccessful, as they could not be reached at the time of filing this report.

The situation raises serious questions among sports stakeholders and Kano sports enthusiasts about the government’s commitment to supporting and sustaining sporting activities in the state.

Meanwhile, the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory are preparing for the 23rd National Sports Festival, officially tagged the Coal City Games, scheduled to take place in Enugu State from November 27 to December 11, 2026.

With the National Sports Festival approaching, concerns remain over whether the Kano State Government will address the funding challenges facing its sports sector to avoid another disappointing absence from an important national sporting event.

The big question remains: How long will Kano’s sporting activities continue to suffer from inadequate government support? Time will tell.