‎‎Uanreroro, Police Officer Who Led Team Which Arrested Dreaded Armed Robber, Anini,  Dies

By Ayodele Oni

Kayode Uanreroro, the Police Officer who arrested the notorious armed robber, Lawrence Anini, is dead.

According to ‎Social media report the retired Police Officer died Sunday morning, the 14th of September, 2025 in Lagos.

‎Late Uanreroro led the team that put an end to the activities of Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini, a Nigerian bandit, who terrorised Benin City in the 1980s along with his sidekick, Monday Osunbor.

Late Anini was in his usual merriment mood on December 3, 1986 in the company of ladies at No. 26, Oyemwosa Street, opposite Iguodala Primary School, Benin City, when Uanreroro, then a Superintendent of Police, (SP) acting on a tip-off, led his team to invade the house and apprehended him with very little resistance.

He was later tried along with his cohorts and sentenced to death by firing squad by the military Armed Robbery and Firearms Tribunal.

‎Mr Uanreroro was the Commandant at the Mopol training school at Gwoza when it was suggested to then Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, that if they were serious about getting Anini, Kayode was to be detailed for the task.

There was then a drama when the military head of state, Gen Ibrahim Babangida met the IGP at a public event and asked him, “where is Anini?”

‎Standing at over six feet, dark and rippling with muscles with a no-nonsense visage, Mr Uanreroro, apart from being a crack Police detective also had a black belt in Karate.

He had had many encounters with armed robbers and many had paid dearly. He was naturally the man to go after Anini who had become a  national terror and embarrassment.

‎Within a couple of weeks and acting on intelligence, Mr Uanreroro and his ten man team of crack policemen working in mufti, but heavily armed, stormed into a Benin city house where Lawrence Anini was hiding.

The latter was not expecting the Police. He was shot on his left ankle by Kayode and immobilized. That was the end of the reign of Lawrence Anini and the national embarrassment he orchestrated terminated.

‎Shortly after that, Mr Uanreroro left the Police service and became the Chief security officer of a top bank.

‎Those who knew him said he lived in the Akoka area of Lagos and was a jolly fellow, a perfect gentleman and giant and rarely talked of his escapades in the Police.

‎He was said have proceeded to study law and had his private Law office in Ebute-Metta area of Lagos and practiced law till his demise.