The Imo State Police Command has dismissed allegations accusing its Anti-Kidnapping Unit, popularly known by the operational call sign “Tiger Base,” of involvement in torture, organ trafficking, and extrajudicial killings.
Recall that PUNCH reported in June that the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre had urged the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Police Service Commission, and other relevant agencies to disband the Tiger Base Unit.
The call reportedly followed persistent claims of human rights violations, including torture, unlawful detention, extortion, and extrajudicial killings attributed to operatives of the unit.
In a statement shared on its official X account on Wednesday, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Okoye Henry, rejected the circulating allegations, describing them as “false, unfounded, and intended to mislead the public.”
The statement partly read, “The Anti-Kidnapping Unit (Tiger Base) is a legitimate tactical formation of the Nigeria Police Force mandated to combat kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and other violent crimes.
“It is not an illegal detention facility or a slaughterhouse, and all suspects are handled in line with the law.
“The unit has successfully dismantled several notorious kidnapping and armed robbery syndicates, contributing to the improved peace and security that Imolites enjoy today.”
The command maintained that no credible evidence supports the accusations.
It further argued that the claims form part of “a smear campaign by criminal elements seeking to undermine the ongoing security operations.”
“The Tiger Base operates in synergy with other security agencies and community policing structures, ensuring accountability and transparency,” the command said.
It also condemned what it described as attempts to inject ethnic bias into routine policing by targeting the Officer-in-Charge, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force is a national institution where officers serve in all parts of the country.
To enhance internal oversight, the command disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, had ordered the immediate creation of a Human Rights Desk within the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. The desk is expected to promote transparency and safeguard the rights of all individuals handled by the unit.
The commissioner urged members of the public to disregard the allegations and encouraged Imo residents with genuine complaints to channel them through the Complaints Response Unit (CRU), the XSquad, or the newly created Human Rights Desk.
The command also cautioned those spreading false information aimed at creating panic or disrupting security operations to desist, stressing that such actions violate the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and will be addressed accordingly.
