Owerri, Nigeria, 8 October 2025 — Human rights advocates have called for the immediate release of 21-year-old trainee nurse Princess Nmesoma Chukwunyere, who has been held for more than 80 days without trial at the Imo State Police Command’s Tiger Base facility in Owerri.
Arrest and Detention
Nmesoma, a student nurse at Mother of Mercy Hospital and Maternity, Orlu, was arrested on 15 July 2025 while working part-time at a local pharmacy. Her detention was reportedly linked to a robbery that occurred weeks earlier, though searches of her home and bank records revealed no incriminating evidence.
According to her family, she was initially held at the Orlu Police Division, where she was allegedly tortured and threatened to confess. She was later transferred to Tiger Base, a unit long criticized by rights groups for torture, extortion, and indefinite detention.
Advocacy and Legal Concerns
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) condemned her continued detention as a “grave injustice” and a violation of Section 35 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which requires that suspects be charged in court within 24 to 48 hours of arrest.
RULAAC noted that despite petitions filed in September and a formal demand letter from her father’s lawyer in early October, police have neither released Nmesoma nor brought her before a court. The group also raised concerns that witness statements initially clearing her were later reversed under questionable circumstances.
Wider Implications
The case has reignited scrutiny of the Tiger Base Anti-Kidnapping Unit, described by rights groups as a hub of impunity and abuse. Activists warn that Nmesoma’s detention highlights systemic failures in Nigeria’s policing and judicial processes, where suspects are often held indefinitely without charge.
Call to Action
RULAAC has urged the Imo State Police Command and federal authorities to either charge Nmesoma in court with credible evidence or release her immediately. The group stressed that her prolonged detention without trial not only violates her rights but also undermines public trust in law enforcement.
Source: Excerpts from Sahara Reporters [1]
- Additional context from RULAAC petitions and human rights reports. ↩
