A civic group, Oganihu, on Tuesday, called on the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, to urgently intervene, investigate and disband the state Anti-Kidnapping Unit, known as “Tiger Base,” over alleged human rights violations.

The civic people-centered assembly covering issues on good governance, in a petition jointly signed by a lecturer,  Prof. Chijioke Uwasomba and journalist-activist, Chido Onumah, urged Mr Uzodimma to openly condemn the torturous and unlawful detention practices, perpetrated by police operatives in the unit.

Relying on previous advocacies, the group said it relied on documentation, investigative reporting and sustained campaigns by civic groups such as the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), the Coalition Against Police Torture and Impunity (CAPTI), among others, to assert its demands.

Faulting the inaction of the state governor despite previous reports, the group noted that the series of human rights abuses linked to the ‘Tiger Base’ police formation violated the Nigerian constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015), the Nigeria Police Act (2020) and the Anti-Torture Act (2017).

It added that the violations also contravened Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Convention Against Torture, the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, among other treaties.

“The problem is not the absence of law, but the failure of enforcement and accountability. Nigeria, as a member of ECOWAS, is bound to comply with the Court’s rulings, reinforcing the need for immediate redress,” the group said.

Recounting patterns of violations perpetrated by the anti-Kidnapping police unit, the group stated that extensive documentation from survivors, families, legal practitioners, journalists and civil society investigators, particularly between 2021 and 2025, revealed a worrying and consistent pattern of abuse.

According to the group, such patterns included “systematic torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; extrajudicial executions and deaths in custody; enforced disappearances; prrolonged arbitrary detention without charge; large-scale extortion of detainees and their families; sexual violence and gender-based abuse”

Citing available reports, the group noted that over 200 persons had either died or disappeared in the custody of the anti-kidnapping unit between 2021 and 2025, without any established sanction.

The group listed names including Japhet Njoku, Magnus Ejiogu, Ekene Francis Elemuwa, Pastor Chinedu, Reverend Cletus Nwachukwu, Onuocha Johnbosco, Sunday and Calista Ifedi and Mmesoma Chukwunyere as some of the victims of the unit’s rights violations.

The group stated that survivors of the unit’s high-handedness alleged that operatives of the Imo State police command used “torture, severe beatings, electric shocks, suspension by limbs, prolonged incommunicado detention, denial of access to lawyers and family members” as routine measures.

The group said, “The death of Mr Linus Onyewuchi Anyanwu in custody in May 2021, following his arrest alongside his daughter, Melody Eberechi Anyanwu, remains particularly disturbing.”

“Melody, reportedly four months pregnant at the time, was allegedly beaten severely, resulting in the loss of her pregnancy. Her father died in detention. She was subsequently transferred between facilities without being properly charged in court.”

The group also accused the Anti-Kidnapping unit of also committing sexual and gender-based violence, which left female detainees with a compounded fate.

The group said series of investigations showed that “Tiger Base” operatives were responsible for misconducts including “sexual coercion of female relatives seeking bail, attempted rape of female detainees, forced domestic labour for officers and prolonged detention without charge.”

The group cited a case involving one Gloria Okolie reportedly detained for several months and compelled to perform domestic labour while in custody, as an example of gender-based exploitation and abuse.

“Notably, the ECOWAS Court of Justice adjudicated on Ms. Okolie’s case, finding that she was subjected to unlawful detention and degrading treatment. The court declared these violations unconstitutional and contrary to Nigeria’s human rights obligations, and awarded compensation,” the group said.

The civic group also decried the arbitrary detention and extortion practices, which the anti-kidnapping police operatives exhibited beyond constitutional provisions.

“Detainees were allegedly held for weeks or months without court appearance. Families were reportedly compelled to pay sums ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦20 million to secure release – including in matters that were essentially civil disputes,” the group stated.

Raising concern over attempts to hinder oversight functions, the group stated previously written petitions to the former Inspector-General of Police, Police Service Commission and the National Human Rights Commission, didn’t yield meaningful results.

It added, “There is no publicly known conclusive criminal investigation or prosecution arising from these complaints. Investigators and oversight actors were reportedly denied access to detention facilities.

“Even the National Preventive Mechanism allegedly faced obstruction during a June 2025 visit. Such obstruction undermines transparency, weakens institutional credibility, and deepens public distrust.”

Stating its demands, the group called on Mr Uzodimma to publicly condemn the unlawful detention practices, as well as formally request an independent and time-bound judicial inquiry into the alleged misconducts. 

The group also demanded an immediate suspension and thorough investigation of officers implicated in previous reports published by several civil society actors.

The civic group urged the state governor to ensure that detainees currently held beyond constitutional limits were properly charged or released without delay.

The group also called on Mr Uzodimma to “facilitate independent forensic audits of detention and morgue records, guarantee witness protection for survivors and families and provide reparations to victims and affected families.”