'Imo State 'Tiger Base' police station na base of extrajudicial killing, torture, extortion' - Amnesty International claim

Human rights group, Amnesty International don release report wey tok say policemen for di notorious 'Tiger Base' police unit for Imo State, southeast Nigeria, dey carry out extortion, torture, and extrajudicial killings for dia.

AI say dis report na product of dia own independent investigation into di plenty allegations wey Nigerians don make against police officers for di 'Tiger Base' unit.

According to di human rights group, di notorious police unit don turn to wetin dem dey use to "arrest and detain people to settle scores, including land disputes and family conflicts".

"Tiger Base don bicom synonymous wit police operating outside of di law and abusing dia power to enrich diasef tru extortion," Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria tok for di report.

"Di atrocities wey di Tiger Base police unit dey commit na yet anoda sign of di failure of di Nigerian authorities to end widespread torture, extrajudicial execution, extortion and other crimes for di hands of law enforcement."

Sanusi add say despite di human rights violations wey pipo don suffer for di hands of di police unit, nobody don dey accountablereach today.

BBC News Pidgin don reach out to both di Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, and di tok-tok pesin for di Imo State police command Henry Okoye for dia comment on dis new report, but dem neva respond.

Inhuman treatment, terrible detention cells

Di Amnesty International report say pipo wey bin dey detained for di Tiger Base police unit tell dem say di police pipo for dia bin force dem to write statements as dem dey torture dem, and dis torture include beta beating wit iron rod, cable, knives, machetes, batons, water and whips.

"Some detainees dem bin det tied up wit rope so dat dia bodies go hang, den dem go cut dia bodi and leave di wound to dey bleed," di report tok.

Detention cells for di Tiger Base unit dey four, each of dem measuring 12 feet by 12 feet, and "more dan 70 pipo dey squeeze inside, sake of dat, di detainees dey take turns either to sit or squat" di report tok.

"If you survive Cell 1, na only by God's grace. Many pipo disappear afta dem move dem dia; nobody ever see dem again," one former detainee tell AI.

Di report also tok say pipo bin die for inside di Tiger Base unit, according to tesimonies from pipo wey Amnesty International bin interview

"In 2022, three youth leaders bin hand ova one suspect to di Tiger Base unit, and about three months later, di young man, Okechukwu Ogbedagu, die for detention. Amnesty International don review di autopsy report wey show say Okechukwu Ogbedagu bin die of asphyxiation," di report tok.

"To cover up dia atrocity, Tiger Base officers charge di three youth leaders who bin hand Okechukwu Ogbedagu to dem wit murder. Dem later release dem afta about six months".

Tiger base bin trend for December 2025

Towards di end of 2025, Tiger Base bin trend across Nigeria social media as many pipo dey complain and share dia experience of wetin policemen for dia dey take pipo eye see.

Several local media also report experiences of pipo wey tok say dem or dia relative bin undergo torture and extortion for di notorious police unit.

Dat time, di Imo State Police Command plus di toktok pesin for di State govment deny all di allegation and describe dem as baseless.

"Tiger Base na legitimate tactical formation of di Nigeria Police Force wey dia mandate na to combat kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and oda violent crimes.

"E no be illegal detention facility or slaughterhouse, and all suspects dey handled in line wit di law.

"Di unit don successfully dismantle several notorious kidnapping and armed robbery syndicates, contributing to improve peace and security wey Imo residents dey enjoy today," di Police tok-tok pesin for Imo State, Henry Okoye bin tok for im statement.

BBC News Pidgin don call oga Okoye. several times dis Thursday and send am messages both on top SMS and whatsapp, but e neva respond.