Nigerian senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, currently serving as the representative for Abia North Senatorial District since 2019, has sparked widespread debate online after making a controversial statement about the origins of wealth among the country’s billionaires.
In a video clip that surfaced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the senator claimed that almost all Nigerian billionaires built their fortunes by misappropriating government money.
The video, which shows Kalu speaking informally among a group of friends, captures him candidly alleging that the majority of Nigeria’s wealthiest individuals made their money by siphoning public funds.
His words: “There are few like me that are not. All the people who are in this country, they make government money. They stole government money. Everybody you see today who say they’re a billionaire. They have this, they have that.”
The clip has since gone viral, generating strong reactions from citizens across the country. Many Nigerians flooded the comment section with mixed feelings—some agreeing with the senator’s claims, while others criticized the generalization or questioned his sincerity.
See some reactions below:
@shegzedon: “Which means Tinubu, Atiku, Obasanjo, Peter Obi, etc are ole.”
@BlackUriel01: “Lol, corruption everywhere. EFCC no go see this type oo, na only boys them day target.”
@itsleeswhag: “🤣🤣🤣 I wonder the amount of alcohol he was on to make this kind of confession. He probably didn’t know someone was recording.”
@KingsleyAdiukwu: “Using dollars in a sovereign state like Nigeria should be illegal; ironically, the presidency gives dollars as gifts. They should change our currency to dollars.”
@CORTEZ__XI: “Nigeria is full of thieves, all the current and former government officials are thieves. Most civil servants in Nigeria are worse than the government officials with what they do in their offices.”
@Twhyspecial: “This is proof that we’re still not truly independent. We have politicians who steal public funds with impunity, and with the judiciary as their ally, they walk free no matter the offense.”
@Orguy: “From this video, the solution to Naija problems is to gather all the politicians and feed them drums of gulder. Truth go surplus. Thieves.”
@dammygtnet: “Statement of fact! But the poor are the ones even defending them with their last drop of blood. Nkan ti se wa as a country!”
WATCH VIDEO:
“Every billionaire you see today st0le Government money, every single one of them stole from the government” ~ Orji Uzor Kalu. pic.twitter.com/O8xJu4gjj9
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) August 5, 2025