Imo Police Command Refutes False Allegations Against Anti-kidnapping Unit, Reaffirms Commitment To Rule Of Law And Accountability

The Imo State Police Command has taken note of the recent media report titled “Investigation Exposes Alarming Abuse of Detainees at Police’s Tiger Base,” authored by one Juliana Francis, which makes serious and unfounded allegations against the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Owerri and, by extension, the Imo State Police Command.

The Command categorically rejects these allegations and asserts that the information presented in the report is misleading, lacking in facts and does not reflect the true operations of the Command.

The Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Imo State Police Command, DSP Henry Okoye, in a press release on Thursday March 20, 2025 stressed that “It is crucial to emphasize that the author did not take the necessary steps to verify the allegations with the Imo State Police Command before publishing”

The PPRO further revealed that the allegations were done to mislead the general public as there’s no reality added to the complaints such real names and faces of the said complainants as well as real accounts of the stories making rounds.

“The allegations, attributed to complainants using pseudo names, have been investigated and found out to be misleading and unfounded. This raises concerns about the credibility and reliability of the information provided and; also calls into question the journalistic standards behind the report.

“In contrast to the allegations, the Imo State Police Command affirms that all suspects are treated in accordance with legal protocols and their rights respected. Hence, claims of unlawful detentions, torture, extortion, and extrajudicial killings in the command are untrue.

“The Imo State Police Command is dedicated to ensuring that all its divisions, tactical units, and formations uphold the rule of law and accountability. The Command is open to receiving genuine complaints against any tactical unit through its Complaint Response Unit”

The Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma assures the public that all complaints will be thoroughly investigated and confidentially treated; and any officer found culpable will face severe disciplinary sanctions.

In light of this, the Commissioner of Police urges all media personnel, especially print correspondents, to verify their reports with the Imo State Police Command before publishing. The spread of unverified and misleading information erodes public trust and undermines the integrity of the Force.