By Palang Paul
A prominent global human rights organization has once again turned its spotlight on a notorious police unit in southeastern Nigeria, accusing its operatives of systematic torture, deaths in custody, and brazen attempts to cover up their actions by framing innocent civilians.
In a damning statement released late Monday, Amnesty International detailed what it described as a “disturbing record” of human rights abuses at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, commonly known as the ‘Tiger Base,’ in Owerri, Imo State.
The organization’s latest investigation alleges a pattern of brutality and subsequent cover-ups, citing two specific cases where detainees died under suspicious circumstances while in the unit’s custody.
The Death of Okechukwu Ogbedagu (2022)
Amnesty’s report centers on the case of Okechukwu Ogbedagu, a young man who was handed over to the Tiger Base by three community youth leaders in 2022. Approximately three months later, Mr. Ogbedagu died while in detention.
According to Amnesty International, an autopsy report it obtained reveals a catalogue of severe injuries. The report documents broken bones in the neck, significant bleeding around the neck, and trauma consistent with the application of immense force.
“These injuries indicate that the neck was forcibly compressed and violently bent or twisted,” the Amnesty statement read. “Such actions would have blocked breathing and blood flow to the brain, leading to suffocation.” The organization stated that these findings strongly suggest the victim was subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
Amnesty further alleges that in an attempt to conceal the killing, officials at the Tiger Base charged the three youth leaders who had originally brought Mr. Ogbedagu to the station with his murder. The men reportedly spent six months in the unit’s “deplorable” detention cells before being granted bail.
The Death of Japhet Njoku (2025)
The rights body also highlighted a more recent incident involving Japhet Njoku, a security guard who died in police custody in 2025. When Mr. Njoku’s family repeatedly demanded answers, Amnesty claims Tiger Base officials told them he had been “beaten to death in the cell by other inmates.”
However, this narrative is contradicted by an autopsy reviewed by Amnesty International. The medical examination reportedly revealed that Mr. Njoku died from severe pneumonia, a condition likely exacerbated by months of detention in “harsh, cold, and unsanitary conditions” without access to proper medical care.
Amnesty International further accused Tiger Base officials of actively obstructing the investigation into Mr. Njoku’s death, stating they “repeatedly obstructed the process” leading up to a coroner-ordered autopsy.
A Call for Action
The allegations paint a picture of a unit operating with impunity, where the rights of detainees are systematically violated and official channels are manipulated to shield perpetrators from accountability.
“The Tiger Base police unit is notorious for deaths in custody,” the organization reiterated, demanding an immediate and transparent investigation into the allegations and calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. The Imo State Police Command has yet to issue a response to the latest accusations.
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