THE STORY OF ANINI NIGERIA'S MOST NOTORIOUS ARMED ROBBER IN THE 1980’s

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Anini Was Born In 1960 In A Community In Modern-Day Edo State, Some 20 Miles From Benin City. He Learned To Drive And Became A Proficient Cab Driver After Moving To Benin At A Young Age.

He Gained Notoriety In Benin's Car Parks For His Ability To Manage The Conflicting Interests Of Operators And Touts. Later, He Entered The City's Criminal Underworld And Quickly Found Himself Transporting And Driving Gangs, Criminal Godfathers, And Thieves.

He Thereafter Made The Decision To Form His Own Gang, Which Consisted Of Monday Osunbor, Ofege, And Other Members. At First, They Were Bank Robberies, Bus Robbers, And Auto Hijackers. He Gradually Spread His Illegal Activities To Neighboring Cities And Towns In Benin's Far North And East.

The Complicity Of The Police Is Believed To Have 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.

Anini Is Thought To Have Taken Retaliatory Measures In Response To The Incident And His Perception Of Police Betrayal. Anini Was Implicated In A Deadly Bank Heist That Occurred In August 1986 And Claimed The Lives Of A Police Officer And Several Others.

While Attempting To Halt Anini's Car That Same Month, Two On-Duty Officers Were Shot At A Barricade. He Was Known To Have Slain Nine Police Officers In Three Months.

 The Anini team carried out an operation in August 1986 at First Bank in Sabongida-Ora, stealing N2,000. They left a trail of blood behind, despite the fact that the amount taken was perceived as chicken feed. Numerous people were slain.

Albert Otoe, the driver of Assistant Inspector General of Police Christopher Omeben, had his Peugeot 504 stolen by the Anini gang. on September 6 of that year. 

They killed the driver when they took the automobile and then went to hide his body somewhere.Three months later, the driver's skeleton was discovered along the Benin-Agbor route, 16 kilometers from Benin. 

One day following this assault, Anini, driving a Passat that was allegedly stolen, Also Stole Another Peugeot 504  Vehicle In Benin, Close To The Old FEDECO Office. 

Two Days Later, Two Police Officers Were Killed By The Anini Men In The State's Orhiowon Local Government Area. Three Separate Robbery Incidents Occurred Within That Month, All Of Which Implicated Anini.

In A Hamlet Close To Benin, Anini, The Law, Transformed Into A "Father Christmas" A Day After The Operation, Spraying Wads Of Naira Notes On The Ground For Market Men And Women To Freely Pick.

 Thus, Between August And December 1986, Anini Led A Four-Month Reign Of Terror. According To Reports, Anini Also Described His Criminal Activities In A Number Of Letters To Media Outlets, Using Political Language Reminiscent To Robin Hood.

General Ibrahim Babangida, The Military President At The Time, Ordered A Large Manhunt For Anini And His Fellow Robbers Because He Was Concerned About Their Apparent Elusiveness.
As A Result, The Police Pursued Them, Searching Every Area Of Bendel State Where They Were Allegedly Active. Because Of The Robbers And Their Daring Actions, The Entire Country Was Terrified.

However, Their Activities Continued Despite The Police Manhunt; The More They Were Pursued, The More Intense Their Actions Grew. For A While, It Seemed As Though They Would Never Be Caught, And Some Of The Townspeople Even Started To Create Stories About How Invincible They Were.

However, General Babangida Turned To Inspector-General Of Police Etim Inyang At The End Of An Armed Forces Ruling Council Meeting In October 1986 And Inquired, "Where Is Anini, My Friend?"
Various Stories And Opinions On The "Anini Challenge," "Anini Saga," "Anini Factor," "Lawrence Anini – The Man, The Myth," "Anini, Jack The Ripper," And "Lawrence Anini: A Robin Hood In Bendel" Were Also Being Published At This Time By Nigerian Newspapers And Journals.

 Ultimately, Kayode Uanreroro, The Superintendent Of Police, Had To Have The Guts To Terminate The Anini Reign Of Terror. Anini And Six Other Women Were Apprehended By Uanreroro On December 3, 1986, At No. 26, Oyemwosa Street, Across From Iguodala Primary School In Benin City.

Following A Tip From The Community, The Police Officer Went Directly To The Residence Where Anini Was Hiding And Captured Him With Minimal Opposition. After Leading A Formidable 10-Man Team To The House, Uanreroro Knocked On The Door Of The Room And Saw Anini In His Underwear

The Door Was Opened. The Policeman Said, "Where Is Anini?" Anini Tried To Be Clever While Being Stunned Because He Was Taken By Surprise And Had No Way Out. "Oh, Anini Is In The Inner Room, Beneath The Bed." He Moved To Pass Uanreroro And His Group As He Was Speaking.

He Head-Butted And Shoved The Policeman In The Process, But It Was A Pointless Effort. Reaching For His Revolver, Uanreroro Stepped Forcefully On Anini's Right Toes And Fired A Shot At His Left Ankle. When Anini Charged Forward, The Police Grabbed Him And Forced Him To Sit Down.

After That, They Fired More Shots Into His Injured Leg, Nearly Severing The Ankle From The Rest Of It. "Are You Anini?" The Policeman Asked Him, Already In Agony From The Agonizing Aches. To Which He Said, "I'm Anini, And I Won't Lie To You, My Brother."

One Of Anini's Legs Was Amputated After He Was Shot In The Leg And Sent To A Military Hospital. Police Found A Variety Of Charms In Anini's Hiding Place, Including The One He Typically Wore Around His Waist During "Operations."

Anini Spent His Trial Confined To A Wheelchair Since His Leg Had Been Amputated. Justice James Omo-Agege Sentenced Him To Death, And On March 29, 1987, He Was Put To Death.

Video Of Anini And His Gang Ex€Cut!On 👉Watch Now

 Story credit👉 Nigeria stories