Amnesty International is deeply alarmed by credible reports of inhuman treatment and possible concealment of detention conditions in Imo State, Nigeria, involving individuals detained at the Tiger Base Police Unit.
The Nigerian authorities to urgently investigate these reports, publicly clarify the circumstances surrounding the handling of detainees during the inspection period, ensure independent human rights monitors have unrestricted access to all detention facilities in Imo State, and guarantee protection for detainees from intimidation or retaliation.
According to reports from Owerri, detainees were moved from the Tiger Base facility and kept at court premises from approximately 7:00am to 5:30pm on 16 and 17 April 2026, to prevent their exposure during an unscheduled inspection visit.
The Nigeria Police Force has stated that the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), DIG Margaret Ochalla, conducted an unscheduled working visit to the Imo State Police Command on 16 April 2026, during which the Tiger Base detention facility was inspected.
These reports raise grave concerns about attempts to obstruct oversight and conceal the true conditions of detention at Tiger Base.
These actions amount to violations of Nigeria’s Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules), which prohibit cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Detention facilities must remain subject to genuine and transparent oversight at all times, and any attempt to conceal conditions or obstruct inspection processes must be fully investigated.