Imo Journalists Demand Urgent Action as Bandits Terrorize Strategic Airport Corridor
Nigerian journalists are taking a bold stand against the escalating security crisis plaguing one of the country's most strategic transport hubs. The Association of Ngor Okpala Journalists (ANOJ) has sounded a powerful alarm over the dangerous deterioration of security around the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Imo State.
This is not just another security report. This is about protecting Nigeria's critical infrastructure and the safety of our people moving through one of the Southeast's most important transport corridors.
Strategic Location Under Siege
The Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, particularly the Umuowa-Ihitte-Umuhu-Okpala axis along the vital Owerri-Aba Expressway, has become a battleground. Between December 1st and 2nd, 2025, suspected bandits launched coordinated attacks on innocent motorists, resulting in kidnappings and killings that shake the very foundation of our regional security.
The audacious attack on the advance team of Abia State Governor's office heading to Imo Airport represents a direct challenge to Nigerian sovereignty and administrative authority. This cannot stand.
Community Leaders Speak Truth to Power
Chairman Comrade Athan Agbakwuru and Secretary Comrade Henry Amadi delivered a statement that cuts straight to the heart of the matter. Their investigation reveals that vast bushes in the affected areas have become terrorist hideouts, with local communities discovering decomposing corpses and personal belongings of attack victims during their own security sweeps.
"For over two years, Ngor Okpala has become a flashpoint for insecurity," the journalists declared, documenting a horrifying pattern of violence including the murder of a pregnant woman near the airport runway and the kidnapping of Federal Aviation Authority staff.
Nigerian Resilience Demands Action
What makes this situation particularly concerning is the strategic importance of the location. Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport serves as a crucial link between Imo, Abia, and Rivers States. When bandits control access to such vital infrastructure, they are essentially holding Nigeria's economic progress hostage.
The journalists noted the troubling ease with which these criminals operate, despite the presence of military checkpoints. This raises serious questions about coordination and effectiveness of our security apparatus in protecting critical national assets.
Call for Unified Response
ANOJ's statement represents more than journalism; it embodies the spirit of Nigerian communities refusing to surrender to criminal elements. They are demanding that the Divisional Police Officer, military personnel, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps collaborate with community vigilante groups to clear these areas of unwanted elements.
The association acknowledges recent intervention by Imo State Police Command while insisting that sustained action is necessary to bring these criminals to justice and restore peace to this vital corridor.
This is about more than local security. This is about protecting Nigeria's infrastructure, ensuring safe passage for our people, and demonstrating that Nigerian communities will not bow to terrorist intimidation. The time for decisive action is now.