By SUNTV News Desk | December 18, 2025
Imo State, Nigeria — Allegations have emerged against the police facility popularly known as Tiger Base in Imo State, accusing the unit of systematically stealing and converting recovered vehicles into personal property, raising serious concerns about law enforcement turning into organized crime.
According to victims and insiders, the standard police procedure for handling recovered vehicles has allegedly broken down at the facility. Normally, when a vehicle is recovered, police are expected to issue public signals to allow rightful owners to reclaim their property. Vehicles should be logged, preserved as evidence, and auctioned only after proper notice.
However, reports indicate that recovered vehicles at Tiger Base are allegedly concealed, altered, and sold or used by officers without transparency. Some victims claim that when they attempt to reclaim their property, they are intimidated or threatened by the same officers who were tasked with recovering the vehicles.
Eyewitnesses and sources further allege that senior officers and operatives possess multiple flashy vehicles obtained from recovered assets, and that a rotational system may exist where vehicles are shared among officers. Some female officers have also allegedly been allocated recovered vehicles by the unit commander, reinforcing claims of a reward system built on theft rather than service.
A particularly concerning case involves a Toyota Highlander, stolen during a kidnapping incident and traced through multiple buyers to Anambra State. The vehicle was reportedly recovered by Tiger Base operatives, but the rightful owner experienced obstruction and a lack of transparency in reclaiming it, mirroring broader allegations surrounding the facility.
Experts warn that if these claims are true, the practice re-victimizes citizens, erodes public trust, and discourages crime reporting, ultimately feeding a cycle of impunity. Tiger Base has also faced earlier accusations of torture, unlawful detention, and enforced disappearances, indicating a possible culture of lawlessness within the unit.
The case raises urgent questions about accountability in Nigerian policing: Who polices the police when those meant to protect citizens are accused of becoming the thieves?
SUNTV Global Channel continues to follow this developing story and will report updates as investigations unfold.
