How a 1987 magazine cover captured Nigeria’s shocking police corruption scandal involving DSP George Iyamu and armed robber Lawrence Anini
The Cover That Shook a Nation
The image shows the ThisWeek magazine cover dated January 26, 1987, boldly featuring Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) George Iyamu under the headline: “IYAMU: THE POLICE ON TRIAL.” This issue captured a defining moment in Nigerian history — the exposure of deep corruption within the nation’s law enforcement during the 1980s.
The story behind the cover was both sensational and tragic. It chronicled how DSP George Iyamu, once a respected officer of the Nigeria Police Force, became a symbol of betrayal when he was found guilty of collaborating with the country’s most feared armed robber at the time, Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini, popularly known as “The Law.”
Background: A Respected Officer Turned Criminal Ally
George Iyamu was a Deputy Superintendent of Police serving in the Bendel State Police Command (now Edo and Delta States). Born in Edo State, Iyamu was known among colleagues for his intelligence and influence within the police structure.
However, his reputation began to crumble when the authorities uncovered his secret dealings with the Anini robbery gang — a group responsible for a wave of violent robberies and killings that terrorised southern Nigeria throughout 1986.
Investigations revealed that Iyamu was supplying arms, confidential information, and protection to the gang. He tipped them off about police operations and ensured their safe passage through security checkpoints. In return, he received cash and stolen goods from their operations.
For many Nigerians, the discovery of Iyamu’s involvement shattered faith in the police. The idea that a senior officer was aiding one of the most wanted criminals in the nation was both horrifying and emblematic of a system plagued by corruption.
The Anini Saga: Nigeria’s Notorious Robber
To understand the magnitude of Iyamu’s betrayal, one must recall the terror spread by Lawrence Anini, whose gang’s operations turned the streets of Benin City and surrounding areas into zones of fear.
Anini and his men carried out armed robberies, bank raids, and targeted attacks on both civilians and security personnel. Their crimes were so audacious that then-Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, publicly demanded from the Inspector-General of Police, Etim Inyang, “Where is Anini?” — a question that embarrassed the entire police force.
When Anini was finally captured on December 3, 1986, his arrest opened a floodgate of confessions that led investigators straight to DSP Iyamu. The police officer’s name appeared repeatedly as a protector, supplier, and insider in the criminal enterprise.
Trial and Conviction
A special military tribunal was convened in Benin City in late 1986 to try Anini, Iyamu, and other members of the gang. The trial attracted national attention, filling courtrooms and dominating headlines across Nigeria.
During the proceedings, Iyamu was accused of “procuring the commission of armed robbery and murder” — a grave charge under Nigeria’s anti-robbery laws at the time. Witnesses, including fellow gang members, testified against him, revealing how he sold weapons to the gang and shielded them from arrest.
Despite his efforts to deny the allegations, the tribunal found him guilty on January 9, 1987. His conviction symbolised a long-awaited moment of justice in a country where police misconduct often went unpunished.
Execution and National Impact
DSP George Iyamu was executed by firing squad on February 15, 1987, at the Oko Prison in Benin City. Barely six weeks later, Lawrence Anini and his right-hand man, Monday Osunbor, met the same fate on March 29, 1987.
Their executions were broadcast across the country as a public warning — a statement that corruption, even within the police, would not be tolerated. It was one of the most high-profile cases of accountability in Nigeria’s criminal justice history.
For many Nigerians, the fall of Iyamu represented both justice and tragedy: justice for the victims of Anini’s terror, and tragedy for a nation forced to confront the reality of systemic rot within its police force.
Legacy and Lessons
Nearly four decades later, the story of DSP George Iyamu remains a cautionary tale about power, corruption, and moral decay. His betrayal of the police oath damaged public trust and exposed how internal corruption can enable crime rather than prevent it.
The ThisWeek magazine cover endures as a stark reminder of this dark period — an era when the line between law enforcement and criminal enterprise blurred dangerously. It also marks one of the earliest instances of Nigerian investigative journalism helping to shape national accountability discourse.
The case pushed the government to reform aspects of police oversight and triggered renewed public demand for ethical conduct within security agencies.
Nollywood icon Genevieve Nnaji has fired off a sharp response after a man on X (formerly Twitter) advised Igbo men to stop marrying Igbo women and instead seek wives from other African countries.
The controversy began after a photo of a Rwandan woman said to be engaged to an Anambra man went viral.
Resharing the image, the user wrote, “Dear Igbo men, instead of marrying an Igbo woman who’ll falsely accuse you of r4ping your daughter, better look outside for a wife.
“Go to East Africa, especially Rwanda, and pick a damsel. They’re all over social media, and you can link up with them.”
Genevieve, who rarely comments on online drama, responded, “In other words, instead of checking yourself and taking accountability, go for the unsuspecting and carry on with your evil. Got it.”
Another user attempted to challenge her, claiming the original tweet was aimed at “false rape accusers” and that Genevieve was avoiding the real issue.
“His tweet was clearly against false rape accusers, but instead of holding the evil women accountable and demanding change, you chose to tweet this?”
But the actress hit back with equal clarity: “The same way a woman can’t tell an abusive man apart from a good one is the same way you shouldn’t say avoid all Igbo women. ‘Not all women’.”
Reality TV star Phyna has offered words of encouragement to fellow Big Brother Naija winner Imisi amid a family feud between the latter and her mother.
In an X post on Monday, Phyna wrote,”To Imisi, @imisiofficial and to anyone walking through the same fire… I’m praying for your strength.
“My own experience broke me, but I’m slowly rising.
“And I’m rooting for you with everything in me, don’t handle it like I did, build strong and focus on you baby girl.”
The post comes against the backdrop of a family dispute in which Imisi’s mother accused her daughter of hatred and revealed the poor condition of the home where she currently lives, despite Imisi winning N150 million after her Big Brother victory.
Imisi replied in Yoruba,”This is why Aunty Debola said you should not show your face to the world. I can’t be saying all that now, you are in the midst of people. Just overlook everything and leave social media.
“Don’t worry, I will send you money to rent a new house. I am tired of all this drama. I am still recovering from the stress of Big Brother.
“Should I be facing another stress now? Please forgive me, I am your daughter.”
Recall Imisi’s mother has publicly expressed frustration on social media, saying she does not need her daughter’s money after being sidelined following the win.
She also blamed Imisi for recounting her childhood experiences, which she claims involve untrue allegations of parental neglect and sexual assault.
In a video, she showed the old house she currently resides in, saying she is content with her situation, a revelation that sparked online controversy.
In 2023, after Phyna’s BBNaija win, her father, Felix Otabor, revealed in an interview that he was distressed by his daughter’s actions following her BBNaija win.
Otabor said Phyna had asked him to stop working as a hearse driver and requested that he sell his cars, promising to improve the family’s life.
He said he later struggled financially after selling the vehicles, losing his business momentum and community position, and has not seen his daughter since her victory.
He described feeling sidelined while she enjoyed her wealth.
Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, has opened up about her marriage to her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.
It was reports that the embattled wife revealed why their seven-year relationship remained faithful despite his polygamous lifestyle.
In a reply to a comment on her Instagram page, Daniels said that during their years together, Nwoko never slept with other women outside their home because she held him well in the other room.
She wrote: “Yes i think he loved me but a toxic one! Because tell me why a polygamous man forgot what it meant to be in polygamy, except for the media.
“Just because it boosted his ego of being seen with multiple women which is easy by me because anyone that sees a man as an odogwu sees the wife as what? He basically had to beg that he share days at ours and other days with his other wives because they begged for his attention.
“Y’all should pls forget this yeye social media comparison because my ex man never slept outside one day in our 7 years of marriage. You know why? Because as a delta babe, I hold am well for the other room ladies use your skills that’s all men want actually!”
