Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Residents of Imo State have renewed demands for the closure of the facility known as Tiger Base — the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command — following widespread allegations that the unit operates as a “slaughterhouse,” carrying out extrajudicial killings, torture, illegal detention, and other grave human rights abuses under the command of Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa.
In online protests and viral social-media posts, citizens have branded the facility the “Police Slaughterhouse of Imo State,” likening its operations to those of past units notorious for human rights violations. Among the serious charges levelled by locals: abductions, forced disappearances, torture, organ trafficking, facilitation of land-grabbing, and arbitrary extortion. Some students at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) reportedly remark that “it’s better to be attacked by cultists than to be taken to Tiger Base,” a chilling indication of how deep the fear runs.
Further fueling outrage are widely circulated videos allegedly showing Tiger Base operatives boasting of their strength and hinting at links to secret cult groups such as Bucaneers and Black Axe, claims that if true would fundamentally undermine public trust in policing. One verified social-media user claimed that Odeyeyiwa masterminded a kidnapping and organ-harvesting ring, implicating the unit in the disappearance of multiple young men and women.
These fresh public concerns build on a string of documented allegations this year. In June 2025, a 32-year-old security guard, Japheth Njoku, reportedly died in custody at Tiger Base after being detained over a trivial cigarette-theft accusation — a case that sparked calls from civil society groups, including Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), for the facility’s closure and a full independent public inquiry.
Earlier in August, a journalist publicly condemned what he described as a horrifying case of harassment and intimidation against a minor by Tiger Base officers, following a home invasion when his father was temporarily away. The journalist’s daughter — only nine years old — was reportedly dragged and traumatized merely for being present.
Legal and human-rights advocates have painted a disturbing picture: arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention without trial, forced “confessions,” extortion, unlawful bail demands, and selective enforcement that targets ordinary youths — often under flimsy or unverified allegations. RULAAC and other groups contend that the facility’s unchecked powers, combined with lack of transparent oversight, amount to a systematic war on marginalized citizens.
In response to increasing pressure, the Imo State Police Command has publicly rejected the allegations. The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, dismissed claims that Tiger Base is an illegal detention centre or “slaughterhouse,” calling them “misleading,” and describing the unit instead as a legitimate tactical formation mandated to combat kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other violent criminality. He claimed that the unit has recorded several successes and that no credible evidence supports the more serious allegations.
As a concession, the Command said a Human Rights Desk has been established within the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to safeguard detainees and encourage official complaints where necessary.
This controversy is unfolding at a critical moment for police accountability across Nigeria, as trust in law enforcement remains fragile and public demand for transparency grows louder.
The case of Tiger Base in Imo raises fundamental questions about the balance between crime-fighting and human rights protections. For many residents: the idea that a police unit meant to ensure safety could itself become a source of terror and impunity strikes at the heart of their faith in the justice system.
If the government fails to thoroughly investigate these allegations — with independent oversight, transparent reporting, and if needed, replacement of personnel — the risk is high that such abuses will continue under a cloak of legitimacy. For now, many families in Imo continue to fear that ordinary police duty could become a one-way trip to detention, torture, or worse.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments