Imo Police Deny Torturing to Death of Suspected IPOB Financier
The Imo State Police Command has refuted claims circulating on social media that operatives of its Anti-Kidnapping Unit, popularly known as Tiger Base, tortured a suspected member of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Magnus Ejiogu, to death.
Police spokesperson Henry Okoye dismissed the allegations in a statement issued in Owerri on Sunday, describing them as “false, unfounded, and deliberately aimed at maligning the image of the Nigeria Police Force.”
Okoye identified the deceased—popularly known as Emu—as a 49-year-old native of Obudi Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area, who was allegedly a major financier and sponsor of IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
He said Ejiogu had been linked to several violent incidents, including the 2022 assassination of the traditional ruler of Abudi Agwa, Eze Ignatius Asor, and the same year’s attack on Agwa Police Station, which left five police officers, including a pregnant woman, dead.
According to the police spokesperson, investigations into the suspect’s alleged crimes had been concluded, and the case was scheduled for prosecution on October 20, 2025.
However, his arraignment was delayed due to the ongoing judiciary strike.
“While awaiting arraignment, the suspect suddenly took ill on October 23, 2025,” Okoye said. “He was immediately rushed to the Police Clinic in Amakohia, Owerri, and later referred to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, where a medical practitioner eventually confirmed him dead despite all efforts to save his life.”
Okoye added that the suspect’s remains had been deposited at the hospital mortuary for a full autopsy to determine the exact medical cause of death.
He stressed that at no point was Ejiogu tortured, mistreated, or denied access to his family or legal counsel, maintaining that all actions taken by the command adhered strictly to professional standards and due process.
“For transparency, the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has directed the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department to investigate and establish the precise medical cause of death,” Okoye stated.
He condemned what he described as sensational and unverified online reports aimed at eroding public trust in law enforcement, adding that the command remains committed to justice, professionalism, and accountability in carrying out its constitutional duties.
