Ex-Gov Orji Kalu’s Security Legacy in Abia Still a Model – Prof. Nwabuko

A United States–based academic, Prof. Okey Nwabuko, has praised the security achievements recorded during the administration of former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, describing them as “a legacy worth remembering.”

In a chat with journalists, Thursday, in Umuahia, Nwabuko said Kalu’s tenure between 1999 and 2007 marked a turning point in the fight against violent crimes in Abia State, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and cult-related killings.

He recalled that Kalu introduced the Bakassi Boys, a community-based vigilante group, which he said restored peace and safety to the state at a time when insecurity had overwhelmed both residents and businesses.

“Within months, the fearsome crime lords of Abia either fled or were neutralised. Markets became safe again, and citizens could move freely,” he said.

He also commended the team of respected professionals who worked with the former governor, naming figures such as Prof. Chibuzor Ogbuagu, Chief Onyekwere Ogba, Ezebunwa Ubani, Solomon Akuma (SAN), Chris Uche (SAN), Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, Awa Kalu (SAN) and others as part of Kalu’s administration.

The professor noted that Kalu maintained discipline within the Bakassi Boys and dismissed their leader when the group once attempted to intervene in a domestic matter, insisting their duty was strictly security.

Nwabuko said insecurity returned to the state shortly after Kalu left office, arguing that the difference underscored the importance of leadership in governance.

“Would the present insecurity ravaging the South East — unknown gunmen, killings, and kidnappings — have persisted if someone with Kalu’s willpower were at the helm? My answer is no,” he added.

He further noted that corruption was drastically reduced under Kalu’s government, and that even religious leaders acknowledged his efforts. Nwabuko also described the former governor’s later trial by the EFCC as politically motivated.

While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his ongoing economic reforms, the professor urged him to work with competent and courageous Nigerians, noting that Kalu’s record in Abia remains “a case study in effective governance and decisive leadership.”