Global human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has accused the Tiger Base police unit in Owerri, Imo State of torturing detainees, causing deaths in custody, and attempting to cover up abuses by falsely charging innocent individuals.
In a statement issued late Monday, Amnesty International said the unit has a “disturbing record of detainees dying while in custody.”
The organisation highlighted a 2022 case in which a suspect, Okechukwu Ogbedagu, handed over to the police by three youth leaders, died in detention three months later under suspicious circumstances. An autopsy revealed severe neck injuries, including broken bones and bleeding, consistent with pressure applied to the neck, suggesting torture that may have led to suffocation.
Amnesty International also alleged that Tiger Base officials attempted to conceal the incident by charging the same youth leaders with murder. The youth leaders spent six months in detention before being released on bail.
Another case cited involved a security guard, Japhet Njoku, who died in custody in 2025. Authorities reportedly claimed Njoku was beaten to death by other inmates. However, an autopsy revealed he died from severe pneumonia, exacerbated by months of harsh, unsanitary detention conditions and lack of medical care. Amnesty International further accused Tiger Base officials of obstructing investigations into his death.
“The Tiger Base police unit, Owerri, Imo state, is notorious for deaths in custody,” Amnesty International said, urging authorities to investigate and ensure accountability for these abuses.
