Top 5 most notorious criminals in Nigeria’s history (With Pictures)

1. Anini

Unarguably Nigeria’s most dreaded criminal, Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini was a Nigerian bandit who terrorised Benin city in the 1980s along with his sidekick Monday Osunbor.

Anini was dreadfully called ‘The Law’ or ‘Ovbigbo’. He migrated to Benin at an early age, learned to drive and became a skilled taxi driver.

Reports suggest that he became known in Benin motor parks as a man who could control the varied competing interests among motor park touts and operators.

Anini is widely recognized as a driver and transporter for gangs, criminal godfathers and thieves. He created a gang which included, Monday Osunbor, Friday Ofege, Henry Ekponwan, Eweka and Alhaji zed zed or Zegezege who was never captured.

They started out as car hijackers, bus robbers and bank thieves. Gradually, he extended his criminal acts to other towns and cities far north and east of Benin.

It is echoed in some quarters that on one mission which eventually went south, Anini drove from Benin to Lagos with reverse.

There are claims that the complicity of the police triggered Anini’s reign of terror in 1986. In early 1986, two members of his gang were tried and prosecuted against an earlier under-the-table ‘agreement’ with the police to destroy evidence against the gang members.

According to reports, this incident, and Anini’s view of police betrayal, spurred retaliatory actions by dreaded underworld lord.

In August, 1986, a fatal bank robbery linked to Anini was reported in which a police officer (Nathaniel Egharevba) and others were killed. That same month, two officers on duty were shot at a barricade while trying to stop Anini’s car. During a span of three months, he was known to have killed nine police officer.

Investigations reveal that 18 civilians were murdered by Anini’s armed gang who successfully robbed 12 banks before the rescue team of six senior police officers led by DIG Parry Osayande arrived in Bendel state.

Anini’s gang confidently robbed banks in day light and threw money at women in crowded markets as a show of bravery to earn sympathy and popularity.

After they were apprehended, Anini’s syndicate was allowed to speak and indeed they spoke to Nigerians. They were put in the military hospital in Benin and journalists were invited to interview them from time to time for public consumption.

They were interrogated thoroughly and the Ministry of Justice, Benin prosecuted the case in the tribunal.

Anini and members of his gang were found guilty having been successfully prosecuted to conviction. They were handed death sentences by a firing squad.

Source: Naij

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