A cloud of fear hangs over the people of Imo State, particularly those who have encountered the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command, widely known as Tiger Base Police.
Survivors of the unit’s detention recount horrifying experiences, describing their ordeal as akin to “walking through the valley of the shadow of death.”
Many former detainees refuse to speak, fearing rearrest or retaliation. However, those who have come forward reveal disturbing details of alleged torture, extortion, and extrajudicial killings, according to a report done by Juliana Francis and facilitated by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC).
Chinonso, one of the few brave survivors, shared her harrowing experience: “I was detained for three months. My brother repeatedly tried to bail me out, but the police told him that they wouldn’t release me until I confessed. I didn’t know what they wanted me to confess to.”
She continued: “I was locked up in a room without ventilation. The heat was too much, and most of us in detention had rashes all over our bodies. There were women I met in the cell, and even though I spent three months there, I still left them behind.”
Chinonso was arrested in 2024 after her phone was stolen while charging.
“They said my stolen phone and SIM had to do with a murder case,” she recalled.
“I was not allowed to write a statement for three months. My mother, a widow, wrote a petition to a human rights organisation, and that was when my case turned around.”
Another victim, Reverend Onyekwere Elemuwa, lost his 34-year-old nephew, Ekene Francis Elemuwa, in Tiger Base custody.
“Ekene was hale and healthy when he was arrested, but he was later brought out in a body bag,” Onyekwere said.
He detailed the events: “On the 28th of August 2023, at about 8:00 pm, Ekene went out with his friend, Ikemba. They were taken to Tiger Base.
“The following day, Ekene asked to contact his family, but the police refused. On September 4, he died. His cellmates insisted that it was his corpse that the police carried out.”
Onyekwere further lamented: “The police seized his phone and did not allow him to contact his family. They did not arraign him in court. We still do not know his offence or why he was arrested and detained.”
Ekene’s family only learned of his death through a former detainee who had been released. When they approached the police, they were initially denied information.
“Inspector Moses, Ekene’s IPO, refused to answer questions about his case file or offence. Even now, we do not know where his corpse is,” Onyekwere stated.
Despite petitions to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the family still has no clear answers.
“The police said he became sick in detention, was taken to the hospital, and then died,” Onyekwere recounted.
“But when I asked if he died inside the police cell, the police vehicle, or the hospital, they did not answer.”
Investigations reveal that Tiger Base Police continue to operate with impunity, violating both national and international human rights laws.
Survivors recount stories of starvation, forced confessions, and threats to keep silent. Many remain too afraid to share their stories, fearing that speaking out will cost them their lives.
