By: Sunday Ameh
A civic organization, OGANIHU, has petitioned Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma regarding the alleged disappearance and deaths of more than 200 persons linked to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the state police command, commonly referred to as “Tiger Base.”
In a four-page petition dated February 23, 2026, the group alleged that the facility operated as a “parallel detention regime” between 2021 and 2025, marked by claims of torture, extrajudicial killings, and extortion.
The petition, signed by Prof. Chijioke Uwasomba and Dr. Chido Onumah, was also sent to the National Human Rights Commission, the National Assembly leadership, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Police Service Commission.
According to the group, families of detainees were allegedly coerced into paying sums ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦20 million to secure the release of their relatives, including in cases involving civil disputes.
OGANIHU stated that its claims were based on years of advocacy and investigative documentation conducted alongside civil society organizations, including the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre and the Coalition Against Police Torture and Impunity.
The petition cited several alleged victims and claimed that, in many instances, families were neither formally informed of detainees’ deaths nor able to recover their bodies. “Between 2021 and 2025, extensive documentation reveals a disturbing pattern of abuse at Tiger Base. Conservative estimates suggest that at least 200 persons have either died or disappeared within this facility or as a result of its operations,” the petition stated.
The group also referenced the case of Gloria Okolie, whom the ECOWAS Court of Justice reportedly ruled was subjected to unlawful detention and degrading treatment at the facility.
Additional allegations included sexual coercion of female detainees, forced domestic labor, and denial of access to independent oversight bodies, including the National Preventive Mechanism, in June 2025.
OGANIHU argued that the alleged actions violate provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015), the Nigeria Police Act (2020), and the Anti-Torture Act (2017), as well as Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights conventions.
The group warned that failure to address the allegations could trigger public unrest similar to the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Among its demands, OGANIHU called for:
- Immediate suspension of officers implicated in the allegations
- Establishment of an independent judicial commission of inquiry
- Forensic audits of detention and morgue records
- Protection for witnesses and victims’ families
- Compensation for affected persons
As of the time of filing this report, the Imo State Government and the Nigeria Police Force had not issued official responses to the allegations.
Leave a Reply