Nigerians across social media and civil society platforms are demanding an urgent, independent investigation into the Imo State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, popularly known as “Tiger Base,” amid escalating allegations of torture, organ trafficking, extrajudicial killings, unlawful detention, and extortion.
The outcry, fueled by viral videos and personal testimonies from Owerri residents, has sparked the hashtag #ShutdownTigerBaseOwerri, drawing parallels to the 2020 #EndSARS protests against police brutality.
Activists and human rights groups cite persistent reports of widespread abuses at the unit’s facility in Owerri, Imo State, urging federal authorities to disband the squad and hold implicated officers accountable.
The controversy traces back to at least June 2025, when the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre petitioned Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and the Police Service Commission to disband Tiger Base over “persistent reports of widespread human rights abuses, including torture, unlawful detention, extortion, and extrajudicial killings perpetrated by operatives of the squad.”
In November 2025, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) escalated demands for a probe into the alleged torture and death of detainee Magnus Ejiogu while in Tiger Base custody, accusing officers including Inspector Chidiebere Nwosu, CSP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa, and lawyer Blaise Chigozie Ikwo of “conspiracy, unlawful detention, [and] torture.”
The NHRC petition stated: “The Anti-Kidnapping Unit violated the Constitutional rights of the suspect against Cruel and inhuman treatment. The Anti-Kidnapping Unit also violated the International Convention Against Torture. Finally, his right to life has been violated.”
It further urged the Deputy Inspector-General to “immediately order the arrest and prosecution of all officers implicated in what it described as ‘custodial violence’ leading to Ejiogu’s death,” while declaring loss of confidence in the unit’s capacity for a fair investigation.
Police Denial and Official Response
The Imo State Police Command swiftly refuted the claims in a December 3, 2025, press release by spokesperson DSP Okoye Henry, dismissing viral videos as “false, unfounded, and intended to mislead the public.” Henry described Tiger Base as “a legitimate tactical formation of the Nigeria Police Force mandated to combat kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and other violent crimes,” emphasizing: “It is not an illegal detention facility or a slaughterhouse, and all suspects are handled in line with the law.”
The command added: “The Tiger Base operates in synergy with other security agencies and community policing structures, ensuring accountability and transparency,” while condemning attempts to inject “ethnic sentiment into routine policing activities.”
Despite recent operations where the unit neutralized two kidnappers and arrested 12 suspects, public distrust persists amid unaddressed prior petitions.
Civil society momentum has surged, with 35 organizations petitioning the Senate over videos showing “alleged human torture, maiming and other human rights violations on detainees.” Social media amplifies resident fears, with users protesting that Owerri “no longer feels safe or heard” due to claims of intimidation, brutality, and deaths in custody, reigniting broader demands for police accountability.
The allegations portray Tiger Base not just as an anti-crime unit but as a site of systemic violations, prompting calls for federal intervention akin to past reforms. As protests grow, the clash between citizen testimonies and official denials underscores deepening tensions in Imo State’s security landscape.
