RismadarVoice Reporters, February 26, 2026
A police unit established to combat kidnapping, armed robbery in Imo State has instead become a hub of alleged extrajudicial executions, torture, and systematic extortion, Amnesty International has said in a report released on Wednesday.
The unit, popularly known as “Tiger Base,” operates under the Imo State Police Command in Owerri.
In the report titled “Tiger Base of Atrocities: Human Rights Violations by Nigeria Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Owerri,” Amnesty International accused officers attached to the unit of routinely detaining suspects in inhuman conditions, coercing confessions through torture, and, in some cases, carrying out unlawful killings or enforced disappearances.
Amnesty International Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, said the unit had become notorious for abuse of power and lack of accountability.
“Tiger Base has become synonymous with police operating outside of the law and abusing their power to enrich themselves through extortion,” Sanusi said in the report, which was issued by the organisation’s Social Media and Communications Officer, Michael Christian.
“Those arrested and detained by this unit are subjected to torture and ill-treatment; they never come out intact. Many are traumatised forever. Despite the horrific violations they have suffered, there has been no accountability to date.”
Allegations of Prolonged Detention, Torture:
According to the report, many detainees were held for weeks or months without being formally charged or brought before a court, in violation of constitutional safeguards.
Former detainees told Amnesty that statements were frequently extracted under torture and used as leverage to demand bribes before suspects could secure release.
One survivor recounted being detained for weeks after denying allegations of buying stolen items.
“They locked me up, seized my phone. After about three weeks, a police officer came to take my statement. Still, they kept me locked up,” he said, alleging that officers later demanded millions of naira from his family in exchange for his release.
Former detainees described severe beatings and other forms of abuse, with Amnesty alleging that coerced confessions were routinely used to extort money from suspects and their families.
The report also alleged the existence of an illegal Point of Sale (POS) operation within the facility, where relatives were reportedly required to withdraw and transfer money on the premises before detainees could be released.
Overcrowding, Inhuman Conditions:
Amnesty further described severe overcrowding at the facility, claiming that more than 70 detainees were crammed into cells measuring approximately 12 feet by 12 feet.
The cells reportedly lack windows and contain a single overflowing toilet, forcing detainees to eat, sleep, and relieve themselves in the same confined space.
“If you survive Cell 1, it is only by God’s grace. Many people disappeared after being moved there; nobody ever saw them again,” one former detainee told the organization.
Another described alleged indifference to medical emergencies within the cells, claiming that sick detainees were often ignored or returned to overcrowded cells after receiving minimal attention.
Alleged Deaths in Custody:
The report documented several alleged deaths in detention, including that of Okechukwu Ogbedagu in 2022. Amnesty said an autopsy it reviewed indicated he died of asphyxiation.
Three youth leaders who had handed him over to the police were later charged with murder but were reportedly released after about six months.
In another case cited by Amnesty, Japhet Njoku, a security guard accused of theft, allegedly died in detention around May 5, 2025. The organization said police officials informed his family that he was beaten to death in his cell.
Amnesty further alleged that officers failed to appear for a court-ordered autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Call for Accountability:
Sanusi said the allegations reflect broader systemic failures within Nigeria’s law enforcement institutions and called for urgent reforms.
Amnesty International urged Nigerian authorities to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations, ensure accountability for any officers found culpable, and provide justice and reparations to victims and their families.
As of the time of filing this report, the Imo State Police Command had not issued an official response to the allegations.
