Ishola, popularly known as “Doctor Oyenusi”, was a notorious armed robber who terrorized the people of Lagos and neighboring cities in the 1970s. Ishola Oyenusi and his gang of six were highly skilled in snatching cars, robbing banks, factories, and stores, and killing people.
“Dr Oyenusi”, as he was called, was not a doctor by profession but adopted the title for fun. The evidence lies in a confession he made just minutes before his execution.
He confessed that his parents were not able to further his secondary school education, which forced him into robbery. Without a secondary school education, Oyenusi could in no way have been a medical doctor.
He came into the limelight after the Nigerian Civil War ended in 1970. He robbed banks and individuals both in daylight and at night, and he never let any of his victims live to see another day, he killed them all. This earned him the nickname “Doctor Rob and Kill.”
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At the height of his horrific reign, Ishola Oyenusi bragged that “the bullet has no power.” He probably forgot that he who lives by the sword will surely die by the sword.
However, nothing lasts forever. As the Yoruba adage says, every day belongs to the thief, but a day belongs to the owner.
On March 27, 1971, Oyenusi was nabbed by the police during one of his robbery operations, in which he and his notorious gang killed a police constable named Mr. Nwi and stole $28,000.
A cloud of shame hovered over “Doctor” Ishola Oyenusi as he was brought before the law, found guilty, and sentenced to death by firing squad. He confessed that he was not to die alone because he had not committed the crimes alone.
He revealed the names of other members of the gang, including Joseph Osamedike, Ambrose Nwokobia, Joel Amamieye, Philip Ogbolumain, Ademola Adegbitan, and Stephen Ndubuokwu.
Back then, public executions were common. When Oyenusi was ushered to the popular Bar Beach in Lagos for his execution, over 30,000 Nigerians eagerly waited to see the man who had terrorized them riddled with bullets.
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It was said that some civil servants even brought a coffin to the execution ground to mock the once-mighty robber kingpin, who was now nothing more than a scapegoat whose last breath could be taken at any moment.
He was sweating profusely but managed to smile all the way to the stakes. He kept smiling, smiling, and smiling, but could not hide the agony and terror clearly written on his face.
The soldiers lined up and aimed their ever-ready guns. Some of the criminals shouted their last words of protest at the cameras. Then a loud voice called out, “Fire!” Oyenusi and the other criminals’ bodies were riddled with bullets.
That was the bitter end of Ishola Oyenusi, who lived by the bullets and died by the bullets.
His execution sent the streets of Lagos into a deserted silence at night, as families locked themselves behind doors for fear that some of Oyenusi’s gang members might retaliate.
This story was first published by mynigeria.com in January 2024
