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Strengthening Collaboration In Advanced Aerospace Technologies For Enhanced National and Regional Security Keynote Address By Governor Hope Uzodimma, CON, At The Fourth Africa Air Forces Forum In Lagos, Nigeria.

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Strengthening Collaboration In Advanced Aerospace Technologies For Enhanced National and Regional Security

Keynote Address By Governor Hope Uzodimma, CON,
At The Fourth Africa Air Forces Forum In Lagos, Nigeria.

On May 22-23, 2025.

PROTOCOLS

I am deeply honoured to be invited to deliver this keynote address at this high-profile gathering of professionals and aerospace technology experts. This forum is both timely and auspicious.

Let me begin by warmly welcoming all participants,
especially those who have travelled from across Africa and around the world to be part of this historic event. I also bring you the warm greetings of the people of Imo State, who, like many Africans, place great hope in the shared security vision that this forum embodies.

I sincerely commend the foresight and leadership of
Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala
Abubakar DFS, and his African counterparts for putting this forum together. Your collective resolve inspires confidence in our defence capability as a region.

Airspace defines sovereignty. In today’s world, it also
shapes a nation’s survival. Across Africa, we are being
increasingly confronted by a complex web of transboundary threats, from terrorism and banditry to cyber incursions and resource-based conflicts. Borders or timelines do not confine these challenges. And as the threats evolve, so must our responses, not only in tactical precision but also in collaborative foresight.
We are reminded that airpower remains one of the most versatile tools of modern defence, offering speed, reach, deterrence, and intelligence superiority. However, although some African nations have built impressive capabilities, for example, Egypt has over 1,000 military aircraft, Algeria has 600-plus, and Nigeria maintains 163 aircraft, these numbers alone are insufficient. We need not only more aircraft but smarter integration of our air assets into a collective security architecture.

The Multinational Joint Task Force, which was created in response to the threat of Boko Haram, offers a case in point. Through such joint operations, we have achieved real gains in our efforts to secure our countries. We have neutralised terrorist strongholds, restored communities, and enabled safe resettlement. However, gaps remain in intelligence coordination, operational interoperability, and shared logistics. These must be addressed not in theory but through mechanisms we build together.

That task begins with a hard truth: Africa remains largely dependent on external suppliers for critical aerospace and defence needs. This reliance leaves us vulnerable to both market volatility and strategic manipulation. Yet across the continent, signs of transformation are emerging.

Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation is producing
small arms and experimenting with advanced platforms. Private firms like Proforce are manufacturing world-class Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, already deployed in Chad, Niger, and Rwanda. South Africa has doubled its defence exports since 2020, supplying Africa remains largely dependent on external suppliers for critical aerospace
and defence needs. This reliance leaves us vulnerable to both market volatility and strategic manipulation.
advanced systems and electronic warfare equipment.

Morocco has become a trusted aerospace manufacturing hub, producing for Airbus and other global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Egypt and Algeria maintain mature domestic defence industries, while Ethiopia and Zambia have made strides in self-sufficiency and technology integration.

Most notably, at least 35 indigenous drone models are in development or active service across Africa. Nigeria leads in this domain, with 28 drone systems operational or undergoing tests. This is a powerful signal that we are not passive consumers of security technology; we are increasingly becoming architects of our solutions.

But intention must now meet execution. We must
translate our shared aspirations into binding frameworks: mutual defence agreements, co-development pacts, pooled logistics platforms, shared research infrastructure, and joint training protocols. These are not luxuries. In the face
of 21st-century threats, they are necessary instruments of survival.

Increased defence spending ($25 billion in Algeria, $13.4billion in Morocco, $3.1 billion in Nigeria) shows that we are willing to invest. However, we must align these investments with coherent goals. For instance, technology transfer, indigenous innovation, and workforce development. South Africa and Morocco have shown how aerospace progress fuels economic growth and job creation. We must take a cue from these countries.

The leadership of the Nigerian Air Force has adopted a self- reliant approach, reactivating long-abandoned aircraft, deploying locally developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) like the Tsaigumi, and incorporating academic research into mission planning and systems design. This shift is redefining the scope of African-led innovation in defence.

Distinguished participants, this forum must now bear a new doctrine: an African aerospace doctrine. One rooted in local capacity, governed by shared standards, and fuelled by political commitment. Our continent has the institutions. The African Union and regional economic

“We must translate our shared aspirations
into binding frameworks: mutual defence
agreements, co-development pacts, pooled
logistics platforms, shared research
infrastructure, and joint training
protocols. These are not luxuries. In the
face of 21st-century threats, they are
necessary instruments of survival.”

communities already provide frameworks for collective action. What is left is the courage to act, the will to fund, and the discipline to implement.
The era when air superiority was seen as a privilege is gone. Now, it is a requirement for sovereignty and peace. As we reflect, I urge this distinguished body to move from principles to policies. African skies must not remain exposed and unprotected, and African solutions can no longer wait.

Thank you, and may your deliberations advance the cause of peace, prosperity, and security across our beloved continent.

Sen. Hope Uzodimma, CON
Governor, Imo State of Nigeria.

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Constituency projects fund should go to security – Ex-Defense spokesman, Enenche

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A former Defense spokesman, Maj-Gen John Enenche (rtd) has said that the money given to lawmakers for constituency projects should go to security instead.

General Enenche made this statement in an interview on ‘Sunday Politics’, a program on Channels Television monitored by Ekwutosblog

He was reacting to the wave of insecurity bedeviling the country where people are being kidnapped, including women and schoolchildren.

 

“I want to suggest that money given to lawmakers for constituency projects should go to security instead. If you don’t save the constituency, what project will you do there?

“Let’s adopt indigenous homeland security and recruit our youths even someone living with HIV or hepatitis can join the force.

“What I would suggest is that you don’t need special recruitment. You don’t need special screening. Somebody carrying HIV can be part of that force. Somebody carry hepatitis can be part of that force, but they will not even go into the Army. No, they want to live where God has put them,” he said.

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VIDEO: IT’S ALL FALSE , THERE IS NO SUSPECT IN ANTI-KIDNAPPING UNIT [TIGER BASE] OWERRI THAT HAS STAYED IN CUSTODY FOR MORE THAN 48- HOURS WITHOUT COURT ORDER. — IMO POLICE PPRO RESPONDS TO DETENTION ACCUSATIONS DURING FACILITY INSPECTION BY PRESS MEN.

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By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke

7- DEC- 2025

 

The Imo State Police Command on Friday, December 5, 2025, opened the doors of its Anti-Kidnapping Unit—widely known as Tiger Base—to an independent inspection team made up of journalists, civil society groups, and human rights advocates, following viral allegations of organ trafficking, torture, unlawful detentions, and the existence of a “slaughterhouse” within the facility.

Acting on the directives of the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, and the Commander of the Unit, ACP Odeyeyiwa Oladimeji, led the fact-finding delegation through all sections of the premises in Owerri. The visit was designed to ensure transparency and address public concerns generated by several sensational online reports.

Throughout the tour, the delegation inspected operational areas, observed procedures, and engaged directly with officers. In one corner of the compound, the team sighted carved wooden images previously misrepresented on social media as ritual objects or a shrine. Police authorities explained that these carvings—made of wood, iron, and cement—were exhibits recovered from hideouts linked to suspected IPOB/ESN operatives and kidnapping gangs across Imo State. According to ACP Oladimeji, the criminals believed the objects held mystical powers, and the police retained them as evidence for ongoing investigations.

The visitors also interacted with several detainees, including individuals suspected of involvement in kidnapping and other violent crimes. Many of them openly admitted to the offences for which they were arrested and confirmed that they were being fed properly while awaiting their scheduled court processes.

Another item inspected was an ash-coloured Highlander Jeep with plate number LSD 413 JJ. The vehicle, stained with blood, belonged to a woman recently shot dead by masked gunmen at Umuekerekpu Ndegwu in Owerri West LGA. A surviving occupant of the vehicle narrated to reporters how their employer was fatally shot in the head, while both he and another passenger sustained gunshot injuries and were currently receiving medical treatment in Owerri.

At the end of the assessment, members of the visiting delegation unanimously stated that none of the frightening claims circulating online—ranging from organ harvesting to the existence of an abattoir—were visible or supported by what they witnessed.

DSP Okoye emphasized that Tiger Base is a legitimate tactical formation of the Nigeria Police Force tasked with confronting kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, terror-related activities, and other serious crimes. He disclosed that the facility is fitted with CCTV cameras linked directly to the office of the Commissioner of Police, enabling round-the-clock monitoring for accountability.

He reiterated that the allegations trending on social media were malicious distortions aimed at misleading the public. The human skulls displayed earlier in 2025, he clarified, were exhibits recovered from criminal hideouts—not evidence of ritual practices, as some had falsely claimed.

ACP Oladimeji further noted that the unit handles only high-profile criminal cases and operates newly commissioned charge rooms and tactical units dedicated to strengthening security across Imo State. The team also observed dozens of seized motorcycles, which the police said were confiscated in compliance with the Imo State Government’s ban on motorcycle operations within the Owerri metropolis under the Shared Prosperity Administration.

The inspection team applauded the Police Command for permitting unrestricted access to Tiger Base and underscored the importance of ongoing cooperation between security institutions, the media, and civic groups to maintain public trust and enhance safety across the state.

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TENSION IN ABIA COMMUNITY AS POLICE PROBE MURDER OF MISSING 25-YEAR OLD YOUTH WHO’S BODY WAS FOUND HEADLESS, SIX ARRESTED.

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By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
7- DEC- 2025

A cloud of sorrow and outrage has settled over Amangwo Umuigu in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, after the decomposing, headless remains of 25-year-old Solomon Ikoku were discovered weeks after his disappearance. Ikoku, who went missing on September 27, 2025, was reportedly abducted during the community’s New Yam Festival in a violent early-morning raid.

Residents recounted that armed men—believed to be members of a controversial vigilante outfit—stormed the family home at about 5 a.m., assaulting the young man before dragging him away. After weeks of unanswered questions and failed searches, community youths launched a coordinated hunt on October 27, which led to the tragic discovery of Solomon’s remains in a shallow waterway on the outskirts of the village. His leg and other body parts were later found scattered in nearby bushes, deepening the community’s grief.

Members of the search team described the scene as horrifying. One volunteer, who spoke anonymously, said the discovery of Ikoku’s bones and the clothes he wore on the morning of his disappearance left them heartbroken.

The incident has triggered widespread anger, with many residents pointing accusations at the village’s disbanded vigilante group, allegedly loyal to the community’s traditional ruler, Eze Larry Agwu. Critics claim the group operated with impunity and may have been responsible for the abduction and brutal killing.

However, Eze Agwu has firmly rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated falsehoods linked to an ongoing kingship dispute within the community. According to him, the vigilante group acted independently and had been inaugurated years earlier by village authorities and security agencies. He insisted he neither ordered nor endorsed any attack on the late Ikoku.

The monarch further explained that he was informed by the group that the victim’s sister had allegedly sought their help after the young man threatened their mother—an account strongly disputed by Ikoku’s family. The deceased’s brother, Victor, accused the vigilantes of premeditated violence, alleging that his brother’s body was burnt and mutilated, and insisting that no family member invited the group on the night of the incident.

Adding to the controversy, the community chairman, Munachi Onwuchekwa, accused the king of enabling the vigilante group even after the wider community had dissolved it four years earlier due to misconduct. He stated that the group continued to operate under the monarch’s patronage, despite repeated complaints.

As tensions rise, the Abia State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of six suspects linked to the vigilante group, while others remain at large. Among those implicated are Alozie Eluwa, Stanley Okutuo, Godwin Kanu, Maduabuchi Enyinnaya, Godwin Sampson, Emeka Nwagboso, Ikechi Hope, and several others still being sought by authorities.

Police spokesperson Maureen Chinaka called for calm and urged residents to allow the investigative process to proceed without interference. She emphasized that a meticulous probe was necessary given the gravity of the crime, assuring the community that justice would be pursued diligently.

The investigation continues as the community grapples with shock, fear, and calls for accountability following the gruesome killing.

 

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