The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has commended Amnesty International Nigeria for convening a public engagement in Owerri aimed at strengthening accountability for alleged human rights violations linked to the controversial Tiger Base detention facility in Imo State.
In a statement issued on May 8, 2026, RULAAC said the panel discussion, campaign sessions, and town hall meeting held on May 7 in Owerri brought together victims’ families, survivors, civil society groups, law enforcement representatives, and members of the media to discuss longstanding allegations of abuse at the facility.
The organisation described the gathering as “a vital platform for truth-telling, reflection, and renewed demands for justice and accountability.”
RULAAC said it stands in solidarity with Amnesty International Nigeria, survivors, victims’ families, and other stakeholders calling for “an open, transparent, impartial, and independent investigation into the grave human rights violations perpetrated at Tiger Base, Owerri.”
According to the group, Tiger Base has for years been associated with allegations of unlawful detention, torture, extortion, enforced disappearances, and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment.
“Numerous victims who passed through the facility emerged traumatised, physically and psychologically scarred, while some never returned home,” the statement said.
It added that many affected families continue to suffer “the pain and burden of unresolved abuses without justice or accountability.”
RULAAC warned that allowing law enforcement units to operate outside constitutional and legal boundaries undermines public trust and weakens confidence in the criminal justice system.
“These allegations are too serious to continue to be ignored or trivialised,” the organisation stated. “The continued operation of any law enforcement unit outside the bounds of the law undermines public trust, weakens the criminal justice system, and erodes confidence in policing institutions.”
The advocacy group called for a comprehensive and independent investigation into allegations of torture, extortion, unlawful detention, disappearances, and extrajudicial abuses linked to the facility.
It also demanded the identification and prosecution of officers found culpable, compensation and rehabilitation for victims and their families, and stronger oversight mechanisms to prevent future abuses.
RULAAC further urged the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, and the National Human Rights Commission to act “decisively and transparently” in addressing the allegations surrounding Tiger Base.
The organisation also praised victims and survivors who have continued to speak publicly despite what it described as fear, trauma, and intimidation.
“Their voices are essential in the collective struggle to end torture and police impunity in Nigeria,” the statement added.
