Mounting allegations of torture, extrajudicial killings and large-scale extortion have triggered fresh calls for the disbandment of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police Force in Imo State, popularly known as “Tiger Base.”
The petition jointly signed by Prof. Chijioke Uwasomba and Dr Chido Onumah alleges that between 2021 and 2025, at least 200 persons may have died or disappeared in custody at Tiger Base.
In the petition dated February 23 and addressed to Governor Hope Uzodimma, a civic group, OGANIHU, described the unit as a “parallel detention regime” operating outside constitutional safeguards and urged immediate executive intervention, investigation and dissolution of the facility.
OGANIHU, which describes itself as a people-centred assembly for good governance in Igboland, said its petition relied on years of advocacy and investigative documentation by civil society organisations, including the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and the Coalition Against Police Torture and Impunity (CAPTI).
The group copied the petition to the National Human Rights Commission, the leadership of the National Assembly, the Inspector-General of Police and the media.
The group also cited what it called “extensive documentation from survivors, families, legal practitioners, journalists, and civil society investigators,” pointing to a consistent pattern of abuse, including torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and sexual violence.
Among the cases referenced were Japhet Njoku, Magnus Ejiogu, Ekene Francis Elemuwa, Pastor Chinedu, Reverend Cletus Nwachukwu, Onuocha Johnbosco, Sunday, Calista Ifedi, and Mmesoma Chukwunyere.
In several instances, the petition claims, families were not formally notified of deaths, while some bodies were allegedly withheld or remain unaccounted for.
Survivor testimonies, the group said, describe torture as routine practice. Allegations include severe beatings, electric shocks, suspension by limbs, prolonged incommunicado detention and denial of access to lawyers and relatives.
Medical assessments reviewed by investigators reportedly corroborated injuries consistent with torture.
One case the petition described as particularly disturbing involved Linus Onyewuchi Anyanwu, who allegedly died in custody in May 2021 after being arrested alongside his daughter, Melody Eberechi Anyanwu.
According to the group, Melody, who was reportedly four months pregnant at the time, was severely beaten and lost her pregnancy.
She was later transferred between facilities without being properly charged in court.
“If established, these facts constitute grave violations of constitutional and criminal law protections,” the petitioners wrote.
The group also raised concerns about sexual and gender-based violence, alleging that female detainees and relatives seeking bail were subjected to coercion and exploitation.
It referenced the case of Gloria Okolie, who was detained for months and allegedly compelled to perform domestic labour while in custody.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice had ruled in favour of Okolie, finding that she was subjected to unlawful detention and degrading treatment, and awarded her compensation.
The judgment, OGANIHU noted, demonstrated that abuses in at least that case were judicially confirmed and not merely alleged.
Beyond physical abuse, the petition accused the unit of operating an extortion network, alleging that families were compelled to pay between N200,000 and N20 million to secure the release of detainees, including in matters described as essentially civil disputes.
It cited the case of Nmesoma Chukwunyere, a nursing trainee who was reportedly detained for months without charge despite an alleged lack of incriminating evidence.
“Tiger Base appears to have operated as a parallel detention regime outside constitutional safeguards,” the petition stated, adding that detainees were often held for weeks or months without being brought before a court.
The group further alleged obstruction of oversight, claiming that multiple petitions submitted to authorities, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission, have not resulted in any publicly known conclusive criminal investigation or prosecution.
It also alleged that oversight actors were denied access to detention facilities, including during a reported visit by the National Preventive Mechanism in June 2025.
OGANIHU argued that the alleged conduct violates the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and the Anti-Torture Act 2017.
It also cited Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture.
“The problem is not the absence of law, but the failure of enforcement and accountability,” the petitioners wrote, warning that continued inaction risks escalating public anger and eroding trust in government institutions.
Drawing parallels with the #EndSARS protests against police brutality, the group cautioned that allowing alleged abuses to persist without oversight could have grave consequences.
The petition urged Governor Uzodimma to publicly condemn torture and unlawful detention practices, establish or request an independent judicial commission of inquiry into Tiger Base, ensure the suspension and investigation of implicated officers, release or properly charge detainees held beyond constitutional limits, and facilitate forensic audits of detention and morgue records.
It also called for witness protection for survivors and families, as well as reparations for victims.
“Imo State must not repeat that trajectory,” the petitioners stated, urging the governor to act within 14 days to restore the rule of law and reaffirm that no unit of the state operates above the law.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Imo State Government or the Imo State Police Command regarding the allegations.
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