This Day in 2001: Derico Nwamama Was Beheaded.

Okwudili Ndiwe, infamously known as Derico Nwamama, was a dreaded criminal who terrorized the South East from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. He was only 22 years old when he died.

He began life as a street urchin in Onitsha, then became a pickpocket, and later turned into a dangerous armed robber, making him one of the most feared criminals of his time.

A thread 🧵 His name alone was enough to send chills through Igboland.

Derico became notorious after killing his friend Chiejina, a notorious armed robber who once controlled the streets of Onitsha. Their friendship began during the well-known Umuleri-Aguleri crisis. Although Derico lived in Abuja, he frequently returned to the East solely for robbery missions. After every successful operation, he return to his base in Abuja with his loot, enjoying a life of power, wealth, and comfort.

Derico once used the towns of Umuleri in Anambra State and Agbor in Delta State as his main hideouts. From these locations, he sent letters threatening the police for killing members of his gang. Derico believed strongly in the powers of native doctors, known as dibia, and often boasted of his invincibility, claiming that no man born of a woman could kill him.

Deri, as he was also called, robbed banks, stole millions of naira, and killed many in the process. He and his ruthless gang also targeted luxurious inter-state buses.

After spending 26 years on death row at Kirikiri Prison in Lagos State for unknowingly buying a stolen generator, Ogbonna Igbojionu has reunited with his mother. He's from Abia State and was 22 years old at the time of his imprisonment in 1999.

Who sold the generator to him?🧵 The generator was sold to him by Segun Ajibade.

He thought it was legitimate when he bought it. But two weeks later, Segun Ajibade returned, this time with the police, claiming it was stolen. Both men were arrested on the spot.

That moment marked the beginning of a nightmare. Ogbonna says he was beaten and coerced into signing a statement he couldn't even read, it was written in Yoruba language. Arrested in 1999, he was sentenced to death in 2003 for allegedly purchasing stolen property. He was only 26 when his life was turned upside down and he was sent to death row at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.

Today in History: Asaba Massacre took place.

On this day, Oct. 7, 1967, one of the heinous massacres took place in Asaba, present-day Delta state. The Nigerian troops invaded Asaba and shot dead over 2500 people.

What was their crime? It's a Thread!

Retweet to educate someone
Today marks 57 years the people of Asaba in Delta state have been living in deep sorrow and anguish. They have been swimming in the ocean of misery and trauma as a result of the "civil war".

It was told that the massacre was carried out to teach the Asaba people a bitter lesson

Apo Six killings of June 2005.

Five Igbo traders at Apo auto spare parts market, Abuja, and a lady Tina Arebu, were murdered in cold blood for no reason on the order of DCP Danjuma.

What was their crime? It's a Thread!

Retweet to educate someone It is 18 years plus since five Igbo traders along with their female friend were brutally murdered in cold blood by men of the Nigerian Police Force led by then DCP Danjuma Ibrahim at a police checkpoint in Gimbiya street, area 11, Gariki, Abuja because the female victim turned down the sexual overtures of the senior police officer, Danjuma at an evening gathering in the city.

The 5 Igbo traders names were:

(1) Ifeanyi Ozor
(2) Chinedu Meniru
(3) Anthony Nwokike
(4) Paulinus Ogbonna
(5) Ekene Isaac Mgbe, and
(6) Augustina Arebu the only female victim and fiance to Ifeanyi Ozor.

All six were traders at the Apo auto spare parts market, Abuja.

They were shot dead because DCP Danjuma made romantic advances to the only lady among them, Augustina Arebu, at an evening gathering, which she turned down. A minor disagreement ensued between the guys and the officer immediately stormed out of the gathering to the nearby police checkpoint at Gimbiya street where he told the police men on duty that he had sighted a gang of armed robbers.

When the Apo Six drove to the checkpoint, officer Danjuma reportedly blocked them with his vehicle and ordered the junior police men on duty to open fire on them. Obey the last order, Danjuma shouted, shoot them! shoot them!!, they refused my advances. The junior police men obeyed the last order and rained bullets on the innocent traders.

Four of the Apo Six were killed on the spot. The remaining two, the lady, Tina and one of the five young men, were killed the following day. The lady, Augustina Arebu, whose rejection of Danjuma's sexual invite caused the whole murder was personally strangled to death by the very DCP Danjuma.

This is according to the findings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo which was headed by Justice O.O Goodluck.

Immediately after the killings, the Nigerian police went to work in a desperate bid to cover up this callous, despicable and inhumane crime.

First, officer Danjuma Ibrahim got arms from the Gariki police station and planted inside the Peugeot 406 car of the victims and got their official photographer to take the picture with a view to creating a false narrative that the innocent traders were armed robbers killed by the Police in a gun battle.

However, both the Administrative panel of Inquiry set up by the Police and the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Federal govt of Chief Obasanjo all established that DCP Danjuma led other officers and men in killing the six victims including strangling the only female amongst them and burying their bodies in shallow graves in what the Commission described as "a continuous single exercise of elimination to conceal facts"

The commission established the following facts: (Read carefully)

1. The Peugeot 406 being driven by one of the deceased persons had six occupants including the driver; five males and one female.

2. The police atrociously buried the corpses of the six deceased persons in two shallow graves at Utako District of Abuja Fct under the supervision of DPO of Garki police, CSP Othman Abdusalam, who is still at large.

3. At the first point of contact between the police and the deceased persons at Gimbiya Street, Abuja, Area 11 Garki Abuja, not all the deceased persons were killed there.

4. No shooting came from the Peugeot 406 car being driven by one of the deceased. (The Peugeot 406 car was originally owned by a certain Adamawa politician who brought the car for spare parts repair to be picked by next morning).

5. The only female occupant of the 406 car, Tina Arebu was strangled to death by DCP Danjuma Ibrahim and PC Dennis Asawa.

6. The two locally made pistols, two live cartridges, two expended cartridges, cutlass and daggers allegedly found in the Peugeot 406 car were planted by the runaway DPO Garki police station, CSP Othman Abdusalam.

Thread continues below.

The then and now pictures of DSP Danjuma, the masterminder of APO Six killings.

Today in History: Asaba Massacre took place

On this day, October 7, 1967, one of the heinous massacres took place in Asaba, present-day Delta state. The Nigerian troops invaded Asaba and shot dead over 2500 people.

What was their crime? It's a Thread

Retweet to educate someone

Today marks 56 years the people of Asaba in Delta state have been living in deep sorrow and anguish. They've been swimming in the ocean of misery and trauma as a result of the Nigerian-Biafran civil war.

It was alleged that the massacre was carried out to teach the Asaba people

Today in History: Ifeajuna was executed.

Emmanuel Ifeajuna was the first black African to win Gold in an Int'l sports event at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. He was sentenced to death by firing squad.

What was his crime? It is a Thread!

Retweet to educate someone Ifeajuna was a Major in the Nigerian Army.

He hailed from Onitsha and attended DMGS Onitsha both in Anambra State. A graduate of University of Ibadan he was.

How He Died: From Hero to Villian.

He and three fellow officers were accused by their own leader, Gen. Emeka Ojukwu

Today in History: Ọsọ Abiola took place.

Ọsọ Abiola, was the mass exodus of South Easterners especially Ndi Igbo on June 12, 1993, from different parts of the country to their Igbo states of origin. A full blown civil disobedience

A Thread!

Retweet to educate someone was in full swing dragging economic activities to a halt for two weeks. This was because of the June 12, 1993 Nigeria's Presidential election that was adjudged to peaceful, free and fair and the result was not made public till date.
The then military leader, Ibrahim Babangida

Today in History: Igbo Landing took place.

On this day, May 28, 1803, around 75 Igbo slaves who were being transported by sea revolted by capsizing their ship and drowned themselves while singing in Igbo, a song that translates to

A Thread!

Retweet to educate someone "the water spirit brought us. The water spirit will take us home". (Mmụọ mmiri du anyị bịa, mmụọ mmiri ga-edu anyị laa.)

Igbo Landing is a historic site at Dunbar Creek on St. Simons Island, Glynn-County, Georgia. In May 1803, one of the largest mass suicides of enslaved

Today in History: Aburi Accord took place.

On this day, January 4th and 5th in 1967, Aburi Accord (agreement) was reached in Aburi, Ghana, by the FG delegates and the Eastern Region delegates led by Col. Emeka Ojukwu. Its purpose was to carve out a...

Retweet to educate someone way to prevent a looming war in Nigeria.

Aburi, a town in the Akuapiam South Municipal District of the Eastern Region of South Ghana, was specifically chosen as the venue of the meeting because the Eastern delegates and their leader, Col. Emeka Ojukwu's safety could not be

Today in History: Asaba Massacre took place

On this day, October 7, 1967, one of the heinous massacres took place in Asaba, present-day Delta state. The Nigerian troops invaded Asaba and shot dead over 2000 people.

What was their crime? It's a thread

Retweet to educate someone Today marks 55 years the people of Asaba in Delta state have been living in deep sorrow and anguish. They've been swimming in the ocean of misery and trauma as a result of the Nigerian-Biafran civil war.

It was alleged that the massacre was carried out to teach the Asaba people

Today in History: Ifeajuna was executed.

Emmanuel Ifeajuna was the first black African to win Gold in an Int'l sports event at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. He was sentenced to death by firing squad.

What was his crime? It is a thread.

Retweet to educate someone Ifeajuna was a Major in the Nigerian Army.

He hailed from Onitsha and attended DMGS Onitsha both in Anambra State. A zoology graduate of Univ. of Ibadan he was.

How he died: From Hero to Villian.

He and three fellow officers were accused by their own leader, Gen. Emeka Ojukwu

On This Day in 1994.

It is exactly 28 years ago today since Iwuanyanwu Nationale players (now Heartland FC) of Owerri died in a plane crash in Tamaransett, southern Algeria.

A private aircraft "BAC-111 of Oriental Airline" carrying 30 players of

Retweet to educate someone Iwuanyanwu Nationale including ten officials crashed in Algeria. The team was on its way back home after African Cup of Champions (now CAF Champions League) match away to Esperance of Tunisia which the then Nigerian champions lost 3-0.

Five people died and 35 cheated death.

Ndi Igbo: Ọsọ Abiola, 29 years on.

Ọsọ Abiola, was the mass exodus of South Easterners especially Ndi Igbo on June 12, 1993, from different parts of the country to their Igbo states of origin. A full blown civil disobedience...

Retweet to educate someone on your timeline was in full swing dragging economic activities to a halt for two weeks. This was because of the June 12, 1993 Nigeria's Presidential election that was adjudged to peaceful, free and fair and the result was not made public till date.
The then military leader, Ibrahim Babangida

Today in History: Igbo Landing took place.

On this day, May 28, 1803, around 75 Igbo slaves who were being transported by sea revolted by capsizing their ship and drowned themselves while singing in Igbo, a song that translates to

Retweet to educate someone on your timeline "the water spirit brought us. The water spirit will take us home". (Mmụọ mmiri du anyị bịa, mmụọ mmiri ga-edu anyị laa.)

Igbo Landing is a historic site at Dunbar Creek on St. Simons Island, Glynn County, Georgia. In May 1803, one of the largest mass suicides of enslaved

Today in History: Abagana Ambush took place.

Abagana Ambush of March 31, 1968 was an ambush by Biafran guerrilla troops led by Major Jonathan Uchendu that wiped out the Nigerian 2 Division. During this ambush, the Nigerian Army suffered the heaviest defeat

RT to educate someone in the civil war.

Of the 5,000 Nigerian troops ambushed, only a very small number survived, including the 2nd Division's commander, Col. Murtala Ramat Muhammed. Murtala was said to have assembled and deployed a convoy of 105 vehicles which included troop carriers, fuel tanker

Today in History: Aburi Accord took place.

On this day, January 4th and 5th in 1967, Aburi Accord (agreement) was reached in Aburi, Ghana, by the FG delegates and the Eastern Region delegates led by Col. Emeka Ojukwu. Its purpose was to carve out a...

Retweet to educate someone way to prevent a looming war in Nigeria.

Aburi, a town in the Akuapiam South Municipal District of the Eastern Region of South Ghana, was specifically chosen as the venue of the meeting because the Eastern delegates and their leader, Col. Emeka Ojukwu's safety could not be

Today in History: Asaba Massacre took place

On this day, October 7, 1967, one of the heinous massacres took place in Asaba, present-day Delta state. The Nigerian troops invaded Asaba and shot dead over 2000 people.

What was their crime? It's a thread

Retweet to educate someone Today marks 54 years the people of Asaba in Delta state have been living in deep sorrow and anguish. They've been swimming in the ocean of misery and trauma as a result of the Nigerian-Biafran civil war.

It was alleged that the massacre was carried out to teach the Asaba people

Ndi Igbo: Ọsọ Abiola, 28 years on.

Ọsọ Abiola, was the mass exodus of South Easterners especially Ndi Igbo on June 12, 1993, from different parts of the country to their Igbo states of origin. A full blown civil disobedience...

Retweet to enlighten someone on your timeline was in full swing dragging economic activities to a halt for two weeks. This was because of the June 12, 1993 Nigeria's Presidential election that was adjudged to peaceful, free and fair and the result was not made public till date.
The then military leader, Ibrahim Babangida

Today in History: Igbo Landing took place.

On this day, May 28, 1803, around 75 Igbo slaves who were being transported by sea revolted by capsizing their ship and drowned themselves while singing in Igbo, a song that translates to...

Retweet to educate someone on your timeline "the water spirit brought us. The water spirit will take us home". (Mmụọ mmiri du anyị bịa, mmụọ mmiri ga-edu anyị laa.)

Igbo Landing is a historic site at Dunbar Creek on St. Simons Island, Glynn County, Georgia. In 1803 one of the largest mass suicides of enslaved

MIKE EJEAGHA: The story of an Igbo folklorist.

Mike "Gentleman" Ejeagha was born on 1st August 1932. He's a renowned Igbo folklore musician. A native of Imezi-owa in Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State. The name "Mike Ejeagha" became popular in Igbo land (1/7)

Retweet to educate someone from 1953 till date.

Ejeagha has been influential in the evolution of music in the Igbo language for over six decades. He has a distinct story-teller accompanied by guitar style and his lyrics are laced with Igbo proverbs; lending his music a didactic style.
He has 34 Albums...

Today in History:
Enugu Coal Miners Massacre took place

On this day, November 18, 1949, a sad event took place in Enugu. A day when 21 Iva Valley Coal Miners were killed and 51 injured by the police

What was their crime? It's a thread...

Retweet to educate someone on your TL under the brutish British colonial masters.

Their only crime was that they demanded for a "Better Pay". Iva Valley miners had dared protest against the colonial authorities. This was wrongly interpreted as a political strike to force them to quit Nigeria and allow them to join