Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu & The Armed Forces Act Amendment Bill
By Ik Ogbonna
The bill in question is formally titled **A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and to Re-enact a Modern, Comprehensive and Effective Armed Forces Act**. It seeks to overhaul Nigeria's foundational military legislation, originally enacted in 1960 and last substantially updated in 2004. The primary goals are to modernize the armed forces' legal framework, align it with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), enhance operational efficiency, and address contemporary security challenges such as counter-terrorism, cyber warfare, and personnel management. This includes updates to provisions on recruitment, discipline, court-martial procedures, and resource allocation to better equip the military for modern threats.
The bill passed its second reading in the Nigerian Senate on November 13, 2025, during plenary session, marking a significant step forward. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Defence and Army for further review, public hearings, and harmonization with input from military stakeholders. If passed into law, it would replace the outdated Act with a more comprehensive version emphasizing human rights, technological integration, and fiscal accountability.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu's Role and Contributions
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), a prominent businessman, former Abia State governor (1999–2007), played a key role in advancing the bill during its debate. Kalu delivered a passionate contribution that highlighted personnel policy flaws and urged specific amendments. His intervention focused on preventing the "wastage of trained military manpower," a critique rooted in his advocacy for merit-based promotions and resource efficiency.
Key points from Kalu's speech:
- **Criticism of Junior Officer Appointments**: He condemned the practice of appointing service chiefs (e.g., Chief of Army Staff) from junior military courses (e.g., Course 41 at the Nigerian Defence Academy) while overlooking more senior officers still in service. This, he argued, forces premature retirements, erodes morale, and wastes taxpayer money on training that goes unused. For instance, he noted that the current Chief of Army Staff's course rank has sidelined higher-course graduates, leading to a loss of experienced leaders.
- **Recommendations for Amendment**: Kalu called on the review committee to explicitly address "military courses" in the new Act, mandating appointments that respect hierarchical seniority to promote fairness, continuity, and "one army, one people, one voice." He emphasized consulting the armed forces fully to ensure amendments reflect operational realities and constitutional principles.
- **Broader Advocacy**: As Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development and a vocal security critic, Kalu's input ties into his ongoing push for equitable resource distribution in the military, especially amid rising insecurity in regions like the South East and North East.
Kalu's remarks were widely covered in media and social platforms, with outlets like TheCable and Naija News praising his pragmatic stance. On X (formerly Twitter), The Sun Nigeria highlighted his contribution in a video post, noting how it propelled the bill toward modernization.
Context and Potential Impact
This bill emerges amid Nigeria's escalating security crises, including Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings—issues Kalu has repeatedly flagged, including in April 2025 when he warned of terrorists overrunning the South East and Borno without urgent federal action. The Armed Forces Act governs everything from enlistment to pensions, so amendments could:
- Improve military justice by incorporating digital evidence and anti-corruption measures.
- Boost retention by formalizing seniority in promotions, potentially saving billions in retraining costs.
- Align with global standards, such as those in the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, for better interoperability in multinational operations.
However, challenges remain: Balancing civilian oversight with military autonomy, securing buy-in from service chiefs, and avoiding politicization.
Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu is a prolific legislator with so many bills and, motions to his name and has won several awards as Senator of The Year.
