By Adewole Kehinde
On Monday, Omoyele Sowore and his associates staged what they termed a “human rights report” on the Nigeria Police Force’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, popularly known as Tiger Base, located in Owerri, Imo State.
Predictably, the outing ended with dramatic demands: the immediate shutdown of the facility, prosecution of officers, compensation for alleged victims, and even the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, whom they accused of presiding over a police force where “torture camps still exist.”
This narrative is not only misleading; it is deliberately dishonest.
There is little doubt that Sowore has made a habit of seeking relevance and public glory by appropriating issues he neither laboured for nor properly investigated. On the matter of Tiger Base, however, he has failed once again, this time by substituting facts with sensationalism.
First, Tiger Base is not a “torture camp”. It is a legitimate tactical formation of the Nigeria Police Force, established and mandated to combat kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, terrorism, and other violent crimes that have plagued Imo State and the wider South-East. Its existence is a direct response to the security challenges that once made daily life unbearable for residents, travellers, and businesses in the state.
The Imo State Police Command has consistently and firmly defended the activities of its Anti-Kidnapping Unit, stressing that it operates strictly within the ambit of the law.
According to the Command, Tiger Base has been instrumental in dismantling deadly criminal networks, rescuing kidnap victims, and restoring relative peace to communities that were previously under siege. These are verifiable outcomes, not propaganda.
Police leadership has also been clear that while allegations may be loudly proclaimed, they remain largely unverified. More importantly, the Command maintains that the unit’s proven success in tackling high-profile crimes, kidnapping, armed robbery, and terrorism far outweighs unsubstantiated claims pushed in the court of public opinion without evidence or due process.
Contrary to the claims of Sowore and his cohorts, suspects at Tiger Base are treated in accordance with established legal protocols. Their fundamental human rights are respected, and there is no policy or practice of torture, extortion, unlawful detention, or extrajudicial killings.
These allegations, repeated without proof, are serious claims that require evidence—not press conferences and political theatrics.
In an unprecedented move to demonstrate transparency, the Imo State Police Command invited journalists to tour the Tiger Base facility. This open-door approach underscores the Command’s confidence in its operations and its willingness to be scrutinised.
Beyond that, the public has been assured that the Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) remains fully available to receive genuine complaints, with guarantees of thorough investigation and appropriate disciplinary action against any officer found wanting.
The Command also clarified earlier controversies surrounding the display of human skulls and mystical objects at the facility. These items, it explained, were criminal exhibits recovered from the hideouts of alleged cultists and terrorists during operations, not evidence of ritualistic or occult practices at Tiger Base, as was irresponsibly rumoured and amplified.
To further strengthen oversight and reinforce accountability, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, CP Aboki Danjuma, directed the immediate establishment of a Human Rights Desk within the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. This proactive step is designed to ensure transparency, enhance internal checks, and safeguard the rights of all persons handled by the unit.
Against this backdrop, it is disingenuous to claim that IGP Kayode Egbetokun is presiding over a police force where “torture camps still exist.” On the contrary, the current police leadership has repeatedly demonstrated commitment to reforms, professionalism, accountability, and respect for human rights, while simultaneously confronting violent crime with resolve.
In the final analysis, the false narratives surrounding Tiger Base bear the hallmarks of a coordinated smear campaign, one driven largely by criminal elements and their sympathisers who have been adversely affected by the renewed and effective security operations in Imo State. When criminals are under pressure, propaganda often becomes their loudest weapon.
Nigeria deserves honest conversations about human rights and security, not manufactured outrage built on distortion and political grandstanding.
Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja. 08166240846. kennyadewole@gmail.com @kennyadewole
