–     Claim He Was Arrested In Criminal Hideout,Family Denied Access To Suspect

-Wants Him Charged To Court

The last may not have been heard about the unlawful arrests, and detention of innocent people by Imolites by the operatives of Tiger Base Unit of the Imo State Police Command, particularly in Mbaitoli Local Government Area.

Information available to our news desk indicates that on September, 13, 2025, one Mr Chinonso Eluchie, a motor cyclist who hails from Umunoha, in Mbaitoli L.G.A went to buy fuel at Coisco fuel station located at Ukwu Orji, also in Mbaitoli LGA. While the fuel attendant was selling fuel to Chinonso, the police reportedly came and took him along with his motorcycle and have kept him in their custody till date without allowing any member of his family to have access to him, giving credence to speculation that he may have been tortured to death, like others who allegedly died in their custody.

The National President of the Association for Public Policy Analysis (APPA) Comrade Princewill Okorie while speaking to our Reporter from his base in Abuja said, “when we got this information I called the Commander of the Tiger Base Unit CSP Oladimeji to draw his attention to the development. He told me that Chinonso Eluchie is not in their custody. But eventually a lawyer the family hired to go there and make enquiries confirmed that Chinonso was in the custody of Tiger Base.” 

It was also gathered that Chinonso’s wife who suffered a miscarriage because of the trauma arising from her husband’s unlawful arrest had met with the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state DSP Henry Okoye, who promised to look into the matter. But uptill the time of filing this report, the woman has not been allowed to see or give her husband food thereby compounding her already complicated health condition.

When contacted, staff of Coisco fuel station  confirmed that Chinonso was surprisingly arrested in their premises while he was being attended to. This negates the statement of the police that he was arrested in a criminal hideout where he went to supply fuel to terrorists.

The APPA National President Okorie, in a petition captioned, “PETITION AGAINST TIGER BASE UNIT OF IMO STATE POLICE COMMAND OVER UNLAWFUL ARREST, DETENTION AND REFUSAL TO GRANT BAIL, AND ALLOW FAMILY MEMBERS OF MR CHINONSO ELUCHIE TO SEE HIM OR GIVE HIM FOOD SINCE 13 OF SEPTEMBER, 2025”, which he addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command and copied the Inspector General of Police said, “ (1) In line with section 24 (e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which empowered citizens of Nigeria to render assistance to appropriate and lawful agencies in the maintenance of law and order, we are constrained to draw the attention of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command to the unlawful arrest and detention of Mr Chinonso Eluchie, by Tiger Base Unit of Imo State Police Command Since 13th September 2025.

(2) Report from the wife of Mr Chinanso Eluchie, Mrs. Udoka Eluchie, who has suffered miscarriage of pregnancy due to trauma occasioned by the unlawful arrest, detention, refusal of bail and access to her husband, for feeding and the lack of knowledge of her husband’s welfare since 13th September 2025.

(3) According to Mrs Udoka Eluchie, her husband, Mr Chinonso Eluchie who is a motor cyclist operating around Ukworji Area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, went to buy fuel at Coisco filling Station, located at Ukwuorji on 13th September 2025. While the fuel attendant was selling fuel to him, Policemen came into the filling Station and took him and his motorcycle away in the presence of the filling station staff who expressed shock and surprise.

(4) On inquiry, the policemen said they were from the Tiger Base Unit of Imo State Police Command but refused to disclose their names or the reason for taking Mr Chinonso Eluchie away. All efforts made by the family of Mr Eluchie to see him at Tiger Base Unit, Owerri, to give him food or let the family lawyer have access to him to get his own side of the story has been rejected by the Policemen at Tiger Base.

(5) On Thursday 2 October 2025, a member of this association called Mr Ola of Tiger Base Unit to inquire about Mr Chinonso Eluchie in the custody of the Tiger Base, why he has not been granted bail or charged to court?. His family and lawyer have also not been allowed to see him. Mr. Ola denied that Mr. Chininso was in their custody and later said that he was a terrorist arrested at the camp of terrorists and requested that the family should come with a lawyer. On Friday 3d of October 2025, the wife of Mr. Chinonso and a lawyer went to Tiger Base but were denied access to him on another claim that Chinonso was supplying food to terrorists. Which one do we believe between the allegation of Mr Ola and that of the Tiger Base Team?

(6) The fact remains that the Police at Tiger Base have not allowed the family of Mr. Chinonso to either see him to get his own side of the story, discuss bail or even allow him to get food. Hence, there is apprehension as to whether he is alive or not.

(7) It is pertinent to state that this is the third incident of Tiger Base unlawful arrests and detention of people from Mbaitoli Local Government Area in the basis of false levelled allegations against them.

(8) In 2023, Tiger Base Unit connived with the Divisional Police Officer of Mbaitoli to unlawfully break into the house of one Mr. Chima Ekugba, carted away his property and livestock, sold some and deposited some at Nwaorieubi Police Station. When we came into the matter, Mr. Ola falsely claimed that Mr. Chima Ekugba killed some police men. In the cause of investigation, which your office as the Commissioner of Police Imo State was aware of, it was found to be lies. Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper based in Owerri published the story and action was taken to release Mr. Chima Ekugba.

(9) In 2024, Tiger Base Unit under Mr. Ola arrested four young men in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, and accused them of being kidnappers. On following up the matter, it was discovered that two of the persons died in their custody and they secretly took the two that were alive to the Owerri prison under questionable circumstances.

(10) The family went to court to obtain the release of those alive, thereby spending their livelihood in the process. Infact, the Federal High Court, Owerri discharged and acquitted them of all the bogus and frivolous charges levelled against them by the Tiger Base. The Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper based in Owerri is also aware of this matter as they followed up till the Court proceedings. You can confirm the truth of these incidents from the Newspaper’s Editor. The current travail of Mr. Chinonso Eluchie is pointing to the fact that Mr. Ola and his team in Tiger Base Unit, Owerri are continuously using this strategy to torment, kill and extort the families of Mbaitoli people.

OUR PRAYER: In the light of the above, we pray as follows:

1 That the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, kindly use his good offices to confirm that Mr Chinonso Eluchie is alive and direct that his family should be allowed to have access to him.

2. That the purported crime for which Mr. Chinonso Eluchie was arrested and detained since 13th September 2025, should be made clear, granted bail, if bailable, or charged to court in accordance with the law.

3. That proper investigation be carried out on this matter and if found not guilty, Mr. Chinonso Eluchie should be set free.

4. That, in order to stop these unlawful practices of Tiger Base Unit in Mbaitoli Local Government Area which is tarnishing the image of the Nigerian Police Force in Imo State, the Commissioner of Police should set up an investigative panel to investigate the previous case of Mr. Chima Ekugba which was published in the Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper based in Owerri, and the two that were unlawfully taken to Imo prisons and released by the court, so as to establish the truth and sincerity of Tiger Base Unit in their activities in Mbaitoli Local Government Area”.

When contacted, the Commander of the the Tiger Base Unit, CSP Oladimeji declined comment.

ReplyForwardAdd reaction