Outrage over Tiger Base torture, extrajudicial killings — Nigerians demand shutdown
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Nigerians are angry over atrocities perpetrated by police officers at the notorious police facility known as Tiger Base. The unit has been repeatedly flagged by human rights activists for gross abuse of people’s rights.
Tiger Base, located in Owerri, the Imo State capital, is supposed to be an anti-kidnapping unit protecting the people of the state, but it has allegedly turned to preying on them, torturing suspects, and carrying out extrajudicial killings. TheNiche has reported several of such cases.
On X, netizens expressed disappointment when the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, Danjuma Aboki, announced he would be taking journalists to inspect the facility. Netizens were even outraged when the police complaints unit asked anyone with ‘genuine complaints’ to present them.
Here are some reactions from Nigerians below:
Activist Omoyele Sowore, posting with his X handle @sowore, wrote: “Shut down the damn TIGER BASE @PoliceNG torture chambers masquerading as a police unit. The criminal extortion enterprise must end now. Stop insulting Nigerians by asking for so-called UTTERLY FOOLISH “genuine complaints.” #TigerBaseMustFall #endsars.”
Another activist, Dele Farotimi, wrote: “How market? The stench coming out of your “Tiger Base” is noxious, and while your institution has never been reputed for upholding the law, the den of demons tagged Tiger Base would appear to represent a new low, even for you. This rabid impunity will visit you all one day.”
Investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, who posted via his X handle, @fisayosoyombo, also wrote: “Let it be clear: any investigation of Tiger Base by @PoliceNG_CRU that does not begin from the notorious CSP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa is a spectacular waste of everyone’s time.
“Here is a CSP who is more powerful than the CP… a CSP who openly boasts of his ‘friendship with the governor’. That claim has also been repeated by third parties. An agency once sought CSP Ola’s audience over a case of illegal detention by Tiger Base, only for the agency to tell @fijnigeria: “Odeyeyiwa said he is so busy with the governor.”
“The next phase of that investigation should then include Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State. Nigerians would like to know: what service exactly does ‘CSP Ola’ render to the governor to have become this powerful, to the extent that police insiders describe the CP as the CSP’s puppet? It would be nice to know.”
Arise TV anchor, Rufa’i Oseni, wrote via his handle @ruffydfire: “Let’s talk about this Tiger Base command in Imo. Ask Boris Johnson if atrocities like Tiger Base happen in his country!”
