Tiger Base Owerri Accused of Killings, Torture of Detainees — Amnesty International

Africa, Crime Diary, Investigation

ENUGU, NIGERIA (NPA): Amnesty International Nigeria has released a new report alleging serious human rights violations by the police unit known as Tiger Base in Owerri, Imo State, southeast Nigeria. The report, launched on 25 February 2026 at the Carlton Swiss Grand Hotel in Enugu, accuses the unit of unlawful killings, torture, and extortion.

According to Amnesty International, its investigation found that Tiger Base — originally established to combat kidnapping and armed robbery — has instead been involved in “unlawfully killing suspects, torturing and ill-treating detainees to coerce confessions to fabricated crimes, and arresting individuals for the sole purpose of extorting bribes.”

The organization further stated that detainees “are kept in filthy, windowless cells and subjected to regular beatings. Many are held for weeks or months without charge. Others have been shot or forcibly disappeared.”

The launch event was attended by civil society groups, activists, survivors, lawyers, and students. Amnesty International called on Nigerian authorities to “promptly establish an independent, impartial, and effective investigation into the atrocities committed by Tiger Base officers in Owerri.”

In recent weeks, civil society organizations, lawyers, activists, and families of alleged victims have intensified advocacy efforts, demanding accountability for those who died or went missing in Tiger Base custody.

The Imo State Police Command, however, rejected the allegations, insisting that Tiger Base is not a “slaughterhouse” or torture centre, but a legitimate anti-kidnapping unit contributing to public safety.

Despite this official position, mounting allegations of torture, unlawful detention, extrajudicial killings, and extortion have fuelled fresh calls for investigations, reforms, and even the possible closure of the unit.