Abuse of power & retaliationPolice & jail misconductOversight & ethics enforcement
Amnesty International reports torture, extrajudicial killings and extortion by a Nigeria Police Force anti-kidnapping unit in Imo State and says no one has been held accountable
Confidence: Corroborated · 2 sourcesNigeria · Oct 6, 2026
Subject of this story
Imo State Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Unit ('Tiger Base')
Nigeria Police Force
Also named
Advocate
Amnesty International
What happened
In a report published 25-26 February 2026 based on three research missions between May 2025 and February 2026 and interviews with 19 survivors and relatives, Amnesty International described the Imo State police command's anti-kidnapping unit, known as Tiger Base, as holding people for weeks or months without charge in overcrowded cells, torturing detainees and extorting money. It reported officers failed four times to appear for a court-ordered autopsy in a 2025 death. Amnesty's Nigeria director said 'there has been no accountability to date' and called for an independent investigation; the reports do not describe an official police response.
Sources (2)
Amnesty InternationalOver 70 people squeezed into single 12-foot cells; torture with iron rods, cables, machetes; extortion via POS machines; calls for independent investigation.
JURISTAmnesty documented systematic abuses by Tiger Base; 'There has been no accountability to date.'
Response
Imo State Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Unit ('Tiger Base')
Not yet contacted
Not yet contacted for this story.
Nigeria Police Force
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What happened next (0)
No outcome recorded yet.