Fisayo Soyombo confronts Imo State Tiger Base Anti-Kidnapping Unit on their contradictory story of 38-year-old businessman, Johnbosco Onuocha, who was arrested on 20 May 2025 and has not been seen alive since.
According to a detailed investigation published on 8 December 2025 by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
FIJ reports that officers from Tiger Base initially denied having Onuocha in custody when his family inquired.
Days later, the unit informed the family that he had died while attempting to escape during a “cordial and search operation.”
No autopsy report has been released, and the family says the police have refused to hand over Onuocha’s body or disclose its whereabouts.
The case has reignited long-standing allegations of extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances linked to the Owerri-based Tiger Base squad.
Residents and rights groups have repeatedly accused the unit of operating as a “death squad,” with several similar incidents documented in recent years.
As of 9 December 2025, the Imo State Police Command has not issued an official statement on the FIJ report or announced any investigation into Onuocha’s death.
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The family says it is still seeking the release of his remains and an explanation from the authorities.
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