13/04/2023
HISTORY IN A BIT
DERICO; One of the Notorious Criminals that terrorized the Igbo land.
Born Okwudili Ndiwe, 22yrs old, aka (Derico Nwamama), he hailed from Onitsha in Anambra state & had risen from a pickpocket to a dreaded crime king after he killed Chiejina.
Derico was based in Abuja and only visited the east to unleash terror. After his successful operations he would return to his base with his loot, safe on the laps of power, luxury and comfort. Derico once used the towns of Ụmụleri, in Anambra as well as Agbor in Delta states as his main hideouts. From there he would send letters threatening the police for killing men of his gang.
He placed a great trust in the charms prepared for him by the native doctors "Dibia" and always boasted of his invincibility; that no man born of woman could kill him.
Deri as was also called, robbed banks, carted away millions of Naira and killed many in the process. He & his sinister gang also robbed luxurious inter-state buses.
In Dec. 2000, Derico attacked a 59-seater bus coming from Lagos at the popular Upper Iweka in Onitsha. After robbing the passengers he decided to kill all of them. Only four survived. That was the height of it all.
The then Governor of Anambra state; Chinwoke Mbadinuju (Odera), had no solution to the menace of Derico because he was said to be invisible and could not be arrested.
In May 2001, the Anambra State Police Command officially launched "Operation Derico", a manhunt aimed at capturing the rampaging Derico and his gang members at all costs. The police arrested some of Derico's men, most importantly, Amobi, his bike driver but he was still elusive as he kept robbing, killing at will and kidnapping people for a ransom.
With the failure of Police and other security forces to capture Derico Nwamama, Governor Mbadinuju brought in a Sorcery paramilitary force to handle the situation. They were commonly known as the BAKASSI BOYS
In June 2001, Deri attacked a Police station to acquire weapons for a bank robbery in Asaba. He also began to work with other gangs to execute more daring robberies. A certain morning the well prepared Nigerian Police and the Bakassi Boys turned the heat up on him. They stormed his Abuja residence unannounced and raided it, he escaped, but two of his trusted warriors were killed in the operation.
Desperate, Derico chose a nomadic way of living as he sensed that his life was in a serious danger with the Bakassi Boys involvement.
It was during one of his trips that the Bakassi Boys got a tip-off and mounted an ambush that led to his arrest.
On a fateful Tuesday, July 3, 2001, the Bakassi boys got an intelligent info that Derico was on his way from his hideout in Agbor to Onitsha. They laid a strong ambush at the popular Head Bridge for his commute. He was identified in a bus and arrested. The city of Onitsha was thrown into jubilation at the news of his capture.
The Nigerian Police requested that he be released for investigation and prosecution but the Bakassi boys did not trust the police to justice to him.
On Monday, 9th of July, 2001 (six days after Derico was captured), the Bakassi boys drove in their convoy around Onitsha town and ended at the Ọchanja Market junction along Upper Iweka road.
There, they unveiled the "Big Meat", Derico.
Onitsha residents trooped to the junction to catch a glimpse of the man who had turned their lives into a nightmare.
Derico was handed a microphone to address the teeming crowd. In his words "My name is Oddy" alias Derico Nwamama. I appeal to you Ndị Anambra, please don't kill me. It's true I have killed "Many", but don't kill me. I don't like evil, I will repent", he said. It was when I killed Chiejina that people thought I was a strong guy. I trust Bakassi boys they're strong. Please mercy for me, he echoed in a pitiable tone.
What followed remains one of the most macabre displays of public ex*****on in the history of Nigeria. With the speed of a guillotine, a cutlass handled by one of the Bakassi boys went up and came down with an unforgiving thud, landing on Derico's slim neck. In a twinkle of an eye, Derico Nwamama was beheaded.
The crowd shouted in approval and chanted songs in praise of the heroic Bakassi boys. Derico's body was cut into pieces and set on fire.
The chase and capture of Derico inspired the 2001 movie "Issakaba" and Igbo movie "Ọkọchị".
Derico's mother is still alive. Derico gave birth to a girl who's also alive. The 70yrs old father died and was buried on 5th Jan. 2020.
All his siblings are doing well. He was the black sheep of the family.
What do you know about Derico?
