A Nigerian police unit set up to tackle kidnapping and armed robbery in Imo state has transformed itself into a killer squad; unlawfully killing suspects, torturing and ill-treating detainees, and arresting people to extract lucrative bribes, says a report released by Amnesty International, and  made available to SummitNews.

The police unit known as “Tiger Base,” operates in Owerri, the Imo state capital, and has been linked to numerous human rights abuses.

According to Amnesty International, detainees are allegedly kept in filthy, windowless cells and subjected to regular beatings. Many are locked up for weeks or months without charge, while others have been allegedly shot or forcibly disappeared. “

”Tiger Base has become synonymous with police operating outside of the law and using their power to allegedly enrich themselves through extortion,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

Survivors of prolonged unlawful detention testified being forced to write incriminating statements under torture, including severe beatings with iron rods and cables. Knives, machetes, batons, water, and whips were also used to torture suspects. Some detainees were tied up with ropes and cut, with their wounds left to bleed.

The report accuses the police unit of using Point of Sale (POS) machines to extract bribes from relatives of suspects in exchange for their release. Former detainees say that officers illegally arrest and detain dozens of people every day with the sole aim of extorting money.

One survivor told Amnesty International, “They arrested me insisting I bought stolen items. I told them I didn’t know anything about it. They locked me up and seized my phone. After about three weeks, a police officer came to take my statement. Still, they kept me locked up… They later told us that the complainant claimed her loss was worth N14 million (US$9,500) but that she agreed to collect N4.5 million (US$3,100) instead.”

According to the report, the “conditions in the detention cells are inhumane, with over 70 people allegedly squeezed into 12 feet by 12 feet cells. Detainees are forced to take turns sitting or squatting, and the stench is unbearable. Former detainees reported seeing their cellmates passing out from overcrowding, intense heat, and exhaustion.”

Several people have allegedly died in the Tiger Base detention centre, including Okechukwu Ogbedagu, who was handed over to the unit by three youth leaders in 2022. An autopsy report showed that he died of asphyxiation, and the police officers involved have been accused of covering up their atrocity.

In another case, Japhet Njoku, a security guard, died in Tiger Base detention on or around May 5, 2025. Police officials told his family members that he was beaten to death in his cell, but have frustrated attempts to conduct an autopsy.

“The atrocities committed by the Tiger Base police unit is yet another sign of the Nigerian authorities’ failure to end widespread torture, extrajudicial execution, extortion, and other crimes at the hands of law enforcement,” said Isa Sanusi.

OUR DEMANDS:-

“The Nigerian authorities must establish an independent investigation into the atrocities committed by the Tiger Base unit and bring those responsible to justice. Police officers at Tiger Base must comply with the law and respect human rights.

”The #EndSARS protests highlighted the need for police reform, but the Nigerian government has failed to take meaningful action. Instead, corrupt police officers have been emboldened to commit human rights abuses with impunity.

“The international community must take action to hold the Nigerian government accountable for the human rights abuses committed by the Tiger Base police unit.

“The Nigerian government must prioritize human rights and the rule of law, and ensure that police officers are trained to serve and protect, not to torture and extort.

“The families of victims deserve justice and reparations for the atrocities committed against their loved ones.

“The Tiger Base police unit must be disbanded, and its officers held accountable for their crimes.”