9 Of The Most Notorious Criminals In Nigerian History

From the various coup d’etat that ushered in
many military administrations to the civil war,
ordinary Nigerians are not left out in
terrorising, maiming and killing other people.
These are some of the most notorious
criminals whose names were enough to put
fear in the heart of the average Nigerian:



1. Lawrence Anini aka The Law

Lawrence Anini was a notorious armed robber
who terrorised residents of Old Bendel state
(now Edo and Delta states) in the 80’s. Anini
and his gang started out as car snatchers but
graduated to robbing banks. Anini killed many
of the policemen sent to apprehend him but
was finally caught in December of 1986. He
was executed in March 1987.


2. Shina Rambo

Shina Rambo was an armed robber that
operated in the Western region of Nigeria in
the 90’s. Rambo is believed to always
disappear whenever the police got close to
catching him. There are conflicting stories
about the demise of Shina Rambo. One
version says he was killed by police in Ojota
area of Lagos. Another claims it was another
of his gang member that was never killed and
Shina Rambo has since become a pastor.



3. Ishola Oyenusi aka Doctor

Ishola Oyenusi was one of the first notorious
armed robbers in Nigeria. He is renown for
his ruthlessness with many claiming the
gangster even killed people for things as
small as a stick of cigarette. He is believed to
have gotten into armed robbery in 1959 but
the long arm of the law caught up with him
and he was executed in 1971.



4. Ndiwe Okwudili aka Derico

Nwamama
Okwudili Ndiwe most popularly known as
Derico Nwamama put the fear of God into the
residents of Eastern Nigeria. Oddy as he was
called by gang members, rose from being a
street urchin to running the criminal
underworld in the East. He robbed traders,
banks and rich residents. Derico’s daring
reign ended when he was nabbed and
beheaded by the dreaded vigilante group,
Bakassi Boys in July 2001.



5. Isiaka Busari aka Mighty Joe

Mighty Joe was the deputy of Ishola Oyenusi
who rose to notoriety after the execution of
his boss. He was even more ruthless than
Oyenusi and always boasted he’d never be
caught. He was caught after robbing a hotel
attendant of N10. He was executed in 1973
after he converted to Islam in prison.



6. Clifford Orji

Clifford Orji may not have attacked banks like
the other guys on this list but his name
struck fear into the hearts of many Nigerians.
Clifford Orji was a known kidnapper, ritualist
and cannibal. He killed, dismembered and ate
his victims. He is believed to have died in
2012 in Kirikiri prisons in Lagos.



7. Abiodun Egunjobi aka
Godogodo

Godogodo terrorised Lagos and other
Southwestern states for 14 years till he was
apprehended in 2013. Egunjobi who hailed
from Ogun state is believed to have killed
more than 100 policemen and stolen millions
in his criminal career. Godogodo was so
careful about his life in the underworld that
his family and friends only found out who he
really was when he was finally arrested.



8. Kayode Williams

Kayode Williams was a member of Oyenusi’s
gang. He was a dreaded armed robber who
engaged in rituals. He confessed to pounding
day-old babies for use in protection charms.
He was caught and served 10 years in jail.
Williams is now a pastor who tries to preach
and rehabilitate prison inmates.



9. Otokoto Hotel Gang

In 1996, the city of Owerri in Imo state was
shocked when the headless body of little
Ikechukwu Okonkwo was discovered in the
popular Otokoto hotel. This discovery came
after his murderer was spotted carrying a
human head by an Okada man who alerted
the police. The investigation led the police to
the Otokoto hotel owned by Chief Vincent
Duru where more bodies were found buried in
shallow graves. It was learnt that the hotel
served as a den of ritualists where unwary
travellers and lodgers were drugged, killed,
dismembered and buried in on the hotel
grounds. 6 people were executed by firing
squad in 1997 for the murder of little
Ikechukwu Okonkwo including the son of the
owner of the hotel.