Today in 2001: Derico Nwamama was beheaded.
Today in 2001: Derico Nwamama was beheaded. Okwudili Ndiwe, known as Derico Nwamama, was a notorious criminal who terrorized the South East between the late 90s and early 2000s. He was just 22 years old. Starting as a street urchin in Onitsha, he graduated to a pickpocket and then became a dreaded criminal. The mere mention of his name sent shivers down the spines of everyone in Igboland. Derico rose to prominence after he killed his friend Chiejina, a cold-blooded armed robber who ruled the streets of Onitsha at that time. Their friendship began during the famous Umuleri/Aguleri War, but Derico was based in Abuja and only visited the East for robbery operations. After Chiejina's death, Derico became the undisputed terror in the land. The entire Anambra State and its environs were in turmoil. Traders in Onitsha couldn’t display their goods in peace, and people slept with one eye open. Derico raided banks in Onitsha, carting away millions of naira. Travelers passing through the stat...