Tiger Base: RULAAC calls for justice, reparations for victims of Police abuse

Stanley Ihedigbo

Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has commended Amnesty International Nigeria for convening a panel discussion, campaign sessions, and town hall meeting aimed at strengthening accountability for alleged police atrocities linked to the controversial Tiger Base detention facility in Owerri, Imo State.

The event, brought together victims’ families, survivors, civil society groups, law enforcement representatives, and members of the media to discuss growing concerns over reported human rights violations associated with the facility.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, RULAAC said the gathering provided an important platform for truth-telling, reflection, and renewed calls for justice and accountability.

The organization expressed solidarity with Amnesty International Nigeria, survivors, and other stakeholders advocating for what it described as an open, transparent, impartial, and independent investigation into alleged grave abuses committed at Tiger Base.

According to RULAAC, Tiger Base has over the years become widely associated with allegations of unlawful detention, torture, extortion, enforced disappearances, and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.

The group alleged that many individuals who passed through the detention facility emerged physically and psychologically traumatized, while some victims never returned home, leaving their families in pain and uncertainty.

RULAAC noted that the allegations surrounding the facility were too serious to be ignored, warning that allowing law enforcement units to operate outside legal and constitutional boundaries weakens public confidence in policing institutions and undermines the nation’s criminal justice system.

The advocacy organization therefore called for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into allegations of torture, unlawful detention, extortion, disappearances, and extrajudicial abuses linked to the facility.

It also demanded the identification and prosecution of officers found culpable in human rights violations, alongside adequate compensation, rehabilitation, and support for victims and affected families.

RULAAC further urged authorities to strengthen oversight mechanisms capable of preventing future abuses and ensuring that police operations fully comply with constitutional provisions, the Anti-Torture Act, the Administration of Criminal Justice laws, and international human rights standards.

The organization called on the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, and other oversight bodies to act decisively and transparently in addressing the longstanding allegations surrounding Tiger Base.

RULAAC also praised the courage of victims, survivors, and their families for speaking out despite fear, trauma, and intimidation, describing their testimonies as critical to the wider struggle against torture and police impunity in Nigeria.

The organization reiterated its commitment to collaborating with civil society groups, the media, oversight institutions, and affected communities to promote accountability, justice, and comprehensive police reform across the country.