Tiger Base police officers accused of torturing Japheth Njoku to death, dodge Coroner’s Inquest, intimidate witnesses
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has accused Inspector Barnabas and his team at the Tiger Base police unit of Imo State Police Command of intimidating witnesses and evading a Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Japheth Njoku.
According to reports, Njoku, a 32-year-old security guard at Alaba Market in Owerri, died in police custody after being allegedly tortured by Inspector Barnabas and his team in June. The police action followed accusations by Mrs. Oluchi Obiagwu, a trader and sister to a serving operative at Tiger Base, who claimed Njoku was responsible for some of her missing goods worth over N15 million. It was gathered that she allegedly latched on a matter over missing cigarettes to blame Japheth Njoku for the loss of her goods over the past four years — an accusation the market authorities claimed she had never previously reported to them nor the police.
A Magistrate Court has now ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of Njoku’s death. But RULAAC has petitioned the Imo State Commissioner of Police, expressing concerns about the police officers’ conduct and their alleged intimidation of witnesses.
In the petition titled, “DESPERATE ATTEMPTS BY SUSPECTS TO FRUSTRATE THE CORONER’S INQUEST THROUGH TRUMPED-UP CHARGES AGAINST WITNESSES,” RULAAC accused the murder suspects of using their colleagues in the police to frame up false charges against the witnesses in the hope of scaring them away.
The petition reads: “RULAAC writes on behalf of the family of the late Mr. Japhet Njoku, who was tortured to death in Tiger Base custody after prolonged detention between March and May 2025, following a bogus petition orchestrated by Mrs. Oluchi Obiagwu (trading as “Ugomore,” Alaba Market, Owerri), in collaboration with her policewoman sister and Insp. Barnabas attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Tiger Base, Owerri.
“It is a matter of grave concern that instead of complying with the lawful orders of court directing all relevant officers to appear before the Coroner to give evidence on the circumstances of this unnatural death, the said suspects are now desperately concocting false charges of “receiving stolen goods” against the deceased’s case-mates and material witnesses, namely Monday Ekwueme, Basil Ekenyere, Miss Nkechi, and Mrs. Caro Okeke, in order to:
“1. Intimidate and silence them as witnesses before the Coroner’s inquest;
2. Divert attention from the murder in custody; and
3. Undermine the due process of justice through harassment, detention, and threats of arraignment.
BACKGROUND
1. The late Japhet Njoku was arrested on the strength of Mrs. Obiagwu’s unsubstantiated allegations of theft of goods allegedly missing over four years without any evidence of burglary, witness, or report to market security.
2. Japhet and four others were held at Tiger Base for over five weeks, tortured, and extorted under the supervision of Insp. Barnabas and other officers, who demanded ₦300,000 each as part of a purported ₦4 million claim.
3. Japhet was tortured to death in custody on 5th May 2025, before any investigation was concluded.
4. Following petitions by the deceased’s family, the matter was assigned to the Homicide Department, SCID Owerri, and the Honourable Court ordered a Coroner’s Inquest on 5th June 2025, with the following clear directives:
*That Insp. Barnabas, CSP Oladimeji (O/C Anti-Kidnapping Unit), and others appear before the Coroner to testify.
*That the Commissioner of Police ensures compliance.
*That no further investigation or autopsy be undertaken until the inquest is concluded.
DISOBEDIENCE TO COURT ORDER
“Rather than comply, Insp. Barnabas, Mrs. Obiagwu, and her policewoman sister have:
*Refused to appear before the Coroner.
*Conspired to fabricate charges of “receiving” against the deceased’s case-mates (who are also witnesses ordered by court to testify).
*Continued to use D3 (SCID) Owerri to harass, intimidate, and detain these witnesses.
*Attempt to mislead by claiming that the issue of “receiving” is different from the murder case, even though the alleged petition was the very basis of Japhet’s unlawful detention and death in custody.
“This conduct amounts to contempt of court and a brazen attempt to cover up extra-judicial killing.
INCIDENT OF 22ND AUGUST 2025
“At a meeting convened by the DCP (SCID) Owerri, the deceased’s family formally complained of the ongoing intimidation of witnesses. The DCP rightly advised that the murder case should take precedence over the frivolous “receiving” allegations, and further cautioned Mrs. Obiagwu’s policewoman sister to desist from undue interference.
“Shockingly, the same day, D3 officers detained the witnesses for over five hours, threatened them with arraignment, and ordered them to return with their sureties on 27th August 2025 – despite the subsisting court order restraining further investigation pending the Coroner’s Inquest.
OUR PRAYERS
“It is now evident that the murder suspects and their collaborators within the police are:
*Deliberately obstructing justice in the case of Japhet’s extra-judicial killing;
*Harassing court-ordered witnesses with trumped-up charges; and
*Ridiculing the authority of the Honourable Court and the Imo State Police Command.
We respectfully urge you, Sir, to:
1. Call Insp. Barnabas, Mrs. Obiagwu, her policewoman sister, and all collaborators to order.
2. Enforce compliance with the Coroner’s Court orders of 5th June 2025.
3. Direct an immediate halt to the diversionary and contemptuous “receiving” case until the Coroner’s Inquest is concluded.
4. Ensure the protection of the deceased’s case-mates/witnesses from harassment and intimidation.
5. Uphold the sanctity of human life and the integrity of police accountability by ensuring that those responsible for the extra-judicial killing of Japhet Njoku are brought to justice.
“We count on your urgent intervention to restore public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force in Imo State.”
