A civil society organisation, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), has called for the immediate shutdown of the Nigeria Police Force facility popularly known as Tiger Base in Imo State, citing persistent allegations of serious human rights violations linked to its operations.
The group said years of complaints from victims, families, legal practitioners and civil society actors have raised grave concerns about alleged activities at the facility, including torture, arbitrary and prolonged detention, denial of access to legal counsel and family members, extortion, and deaths in custody.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, FENRAD said the allegations surrounding Tiger Base were neither isolated nor unsubstantiated, but reflected a troubling pattern documented across multiple independent sources.
According to the organisation, these include affidavits and testimonies filed before Nigerian courts, media reports by local and international outlets detailing alleged secret detentions and torture, as well as judicial observations in habeas corpus and fundamental rights enforcement cases questioning the conduct of officers linked to the facility.
While acknowledging that allegations must be subjected to due process, FENRAD argued that the consistency and longevity of the reports demand urgent institutional action.
The group warned that the continued operation of a facility facing such accusations undermines constitutional governance and public confidence in law enforcement, and may violate provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), particularly the rights to life, dignity of the human person and personal liberty.
FENRAD also said the alleged practices conflict with Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights instruments, including the United Nations Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, all of which prohibit torture and arbitrary detention.
Emphasising that crime prevention must operate within the rule of law, the group noted that past experiences with disbanded special police units have shown that tactical formations operating with secrecy and weak oversight are prone to abuse.
Among its demands, FENRAD called for the immediate suspension and closure of Tiger Base pending an independent investigation; the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to examine all allegations linked to the facility; transparent investigation and prosecution of any officers found culpable; and access to justice, compensation and rehabilitation for victims and their families.
The organisation also urged broader police reforms in Imo State, including stronger oversight of tactical units, strict detention safeguards, mandatory human rights training and guaranteed access to lawyers and family members for detainees.
FENRAD called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the Imo State Government, the Judiciary, and the National Assembly to act swiftly and transparently in the public interest.