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.
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 actress Destiny Etiko has revealed that she lost ₦5 million after placing a bet during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, saying the experience has discouraged her from gambling again.
The actress disclosed this in a post shared on her Instagram handle on Monday, shortly after the conclusion of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
“First time betting and I lost . Will never try it again. My 5M gone . In fact am done watching football. Anxiety almost killed me,” she wrote.
Etiko, however, did not disclose the particular bet she placed or provide further details about how she lost the money.
Earlier, during the World Cup final, the actress shared a series of updates on her Instagram Story, indicating she was backing Argentina to defeat Spain.
In one post, she wrote, “Argentina all the way. Who can’t wait?”
As the match progressed, she appeared increasingly frustrated with Argentina’s performance, posting, “This ball tough o. Argentina is pissing me off.”
She also praised Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez for keeping the defending champions in the game, writing, “The goal keeper is the savior oo.”
PUNCH Online had reported that Spain defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday.
Substitute Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the second period of extra time to hand Spain their second World Cup title, 16 years after their maiden triumph in South Africa in 2010.
Argentina played the closing stages with 10 men after midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off for a second bookable offence, while Spain dominated possession before eventually finding the breakthrough through Torres.
The self-styled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, was arrested last Tuesday by the Intelligence Response Team led by Chief Superintendent of Police, Moses Lohor.
It was learnt that Adeyemi was arrested between 11am and 12pm inside a building in the Ijebu-Ijesa area of Osun State.
The suspect’s arrest followed a bench warrant issued against him by a Federal High Court in Abuja after he allegedly failed to appear for arraignment on eight counts.
Giving details of the operation that led to the arrest, a senior police officer in the Osun State Police Command, in an interview with Punch, said Adeyemi’s location was first uncovered in the Aregbe-Fakule area of Osogbo on July 9 after evading tracking by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The police officer said Lohor’s team took over the tracking after the DSS withdrew from the case.
He added that the operatives eventually located Adeyemi in Ilesa and subsequently arrested him on Tuesday morning.
The source said, “The Moses Lohor team were in Osun for surveillance ahead of the August 15 governorship election. They were mapping hotspots and collating other intelligence. As a matter of fact, the Lohor team didn’t report to the Osun State Police Command. They operated from the area commander’s office at Oke-Fia in Osogbo.
“Adeyemi was already on their watch list, but they didn’t act because the case was being handled by the DSS. Adeyemi’s last known location tracked by the DSS was Ibadan, but they couldn’t apprehend him because he regularly switched off his phone.
“A senior police officer from Abuja informed the Lohor team about the DSS withdrawal on Wednesday. Lohor’s team then decided to track Adeyemi’s location on Thursday, July 9. Incidentally, he was located around the Aregbe-Fakule area of Osogbo.
“Luckily for them, late on Monday night, Adeyemi’s location showed he was around Ilesa, and the Lohor team intensified efforts, which led to his arrest on Tuesday morning. The team only informed the Osun State Commissioner of Police when they moved in to make the arrest.”
Adeyemi is reportedly being detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, from where he is expected to be arraigned on July 27.
Popular Nollywood actress in the Yoruba movie industry, Biola Fowosere, has opened up about the challenges she faced after her ex-husband left their marriage.
It was reports that Biola, during an interview on African A List, said her ex-husband abandoned her and their children despite not doing anything wrong in the union.
The thespian who broke down in tears during the interview said her ex-husband is the only person she would like to ask why he abandoned his family.
Biola also spoke about battling severe depression after the separation, spending one year and six months in the hospital while struggling to recover emotionally.
According to the movie star, she almost lost her sanity, adding that it has been seven years since they lost contact.
She said, “The only person I’d really want to ask a question is my ex-husband. I’d really like to ask him what I did wrong because I did nothing before he left me and the kids. I want to ask what my children and I did to deserve what he did to us,” she said.
“I spent one year and six months in the hospital battling depression after he left. I almost ran mad. We are not in contact. Since he left, we haven’t seen him. He blocked us seven years ago.”
