The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has filed four suits before the High Court of Imo State on behalf victims of torture, detention and extortation by officers attached to the Tigre Base of the Imo State Police Command.
The cases seek judicial accountability for what may become one of the most significant examinations of alleged police brutality and impunity in recent years.
The four Fundamental Rights Enforcement suits, filed on behalf of eight victims, challenge allegations of torture, arbitrary arrest, prolonged detention, unlawful shootings, extortion and other grave violations allegedly committed by officers attached to the Tiger Base Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command.
RULAAC said in statement signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, that the cases are scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, 5 August 2026.
“For years, the Tiger Base Unit has featured prominently in allegations by victims, families and human rights organisations of torture, prolonged detention without trial, enforced disappearances and other serious abuses.
“These proceedings provide the first opportunity for many of those allegations to be rigorously examined through sworn evidence before a court of law,” Nwanguma said.
According to RULAAC, the eight applicants allege a disturbing pattern of abuse.
“Seven claim they spent more than two years in Tiger Base detention without being convicted of any offence.
“Several state that they were never the persons sought by the police but were arrested solely because they were wives, girlfriends, sisters or relatives of individuals whom the police wished to apprehend.
“Among the most heartbreaking cases is that of Onyebuchi Anyanwu, who alleges that she was arrested together with her three infant children in 2023 over allegations concerning her husband’s suspected links to the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and IPOB.
“According to her affidavit, she was separated from her children shortly after arriving at Tiger Base and, by the time these proceedings were commenced in July 2026, still had no information about their whereabouts. She was eventually arraigned after spending approximately two years in detention,” RULAAC said.
The statement reads further: “Another applicant, Chinaza Ifeanyi, alleges that she was arrested while nursing her two-month-old baby and was separated from the infant shortly after arriving at Tiger Base.
“According to her affidavit, she has never been told where the child is or what became of the baby.
“She further alleges that she was assaulted, compelled to sign documents she did not prepare, deprived of her personal belongings, and that police officers withdrew ₦30,000 from her bank account using her ATM card without her consent.
“Together with Munachi Ifeanyi and Chidera Onyemuwa, Chinaza contends that she was deprived of her liberty not because she committed any offence but because of her relationship with persons the police intended to arrest.”
In the suit filed on behalf of Kenneth Anyanwu, RULLAC alleges that he was shot in the abdomen during a police operation despite not being the intended target.
“According to his affidavit, he suffered life-threatening injuries and was left bleeding in the boot of a police vehicle for several hours before receiving medical treatment.
“He asks the court to determine whether the force used against him was lawful and whether his constitutional rights were violated.”
The remaining proceedings, brought on behalf of Ngozi Ogbonna, Chinenye Obi and Nkechinyere Ogu, similarly allege unlawful arrest, prolonged detention and violations of their constitutional rights.
RULAAC said in the statement that the applications were supported by sworn affidavits from the applicants.
The group also said that the affidavits rely, among other materials, on reports by Amnesty International and the Coalition Against Police Tiger Base Impunity (CAPTI), both of which have documented allegations of torture and other human rights violations associated with the Tiger Base Unit.
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