Imo Custody Death: Amnesty Seeks Prosecution, Compensation for Njoku’s Family

Amnesty International Nigeria has called for urgent action by the Imo State Government and police authorities following a coroner’s findings on the death of Japheth Njoku, a 32-year-old man who died while in detention at Tiger Base, Owerri.

In a statement shared on its X platform on Sunday, the organisation urged the authorities to implement the recommendations issued on September 30, 2026, by Chief Magistrate E. U. Chinaka of the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Owerri, who presided over the inquest as a coroner.

The organisation asked the Attorney-General of Imo State, the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and the state Commissioner of Police to ensure that the recommendations are implemented without delay.

It also demanded the prosecution of anyone against whom sufficient evidence of criminal responsibility is established, alongside appropriate compensation and reparation for Njoku’s family.

Amnesty International further called for an independent probe into reports that attempts were made to obstruct the court-ordered autopsy and intimidate witnesses during the investigation.

The organisation said the coroner’s findings showed that Njoku had spent about six weeks in detention over an allegation of stealing, an offence Amnesty described as bailable.

It added that the findings pointed to demands for money and the inhuman conditions of his detention as factors that contributed to the decline in his health and eventual death.

According to Amnesty International, the outcome of the inquest has renewed concerns over alleged human rights violations at Tiger Base, where it has previously raised allegations of arbitrary detention, torture, other forms of ill-treatment, extortion and deaths in custody.

The organisation called on the authorities to address these concerns urgently, introduce stronger protections for people held in police custody and ensure that victims of human rights violations have access to effective remedies.

“Japheth Njoku entered police custody alive. His death demands truth, justice and accountability,” Amnesty International stated.

The organisation maintained that Njoku’s family was entitled to an effective remedy, adding that anyone suspected of bearing responsibility for his death should face accountability.

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