Isiaka Busari known predominantly as Mighty Joe was a Nigerian bandit. He was the

sidekick A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...

Ishola Oyenusi Ishola Oyenusi (died 8 September 1971), popularly known as Dr. Ishola, was a notorious Nigerian armed robber who was active during the 1970s. His ''modus operandi'' was carjackings, bank robberies and heists committed during hold-ups. Trial and ...

. After the death of Oyenusi, Mighty Joe took charge of the gang, terrorising the mostly the south western part of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. He was executed by firing squad in 1973.

Early life

Mighty Joe was born in 1936 in Lagos,

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, states, it is both the List of Nigerian states by population, most populous and List of Nigerian state ...

into a family of seven. Due to financial constraints, Mighty Joe became a dropout from

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

. He later joined a street boxing group against the will of his parents. Due to lack of employment, Mighty Joe joined a street gang and became a political thug. He joined Dr. Ishola in armed robbery operations. After the death of Dr. Ishola, he took charge of the gang; recruiting ex-military to aid him carry out his operations. Before he was shot, he converted to Islam.

Death

Mighty Joe was arrested on 1973 while trying to snatch ₦10 from a bar attendant called Michael Osayunana. After trials, on 6 June 1973, a convoy drove him from

Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison is a prison west of Apapa, Lagos State, Nigeria.Chiama, Paul.Nigeria’s Famous Prisons"Archive. ''Leadership''. August 7, 2015. Retrieved on March 22, 2016. It is named after the rural Kirikiri community in which i ...

to Lagos Bar Beach where he was executed.

Controversy

His death raised a controversy as some people thought that his execution was a set-up aided by '' Daily Times'' because of fuss between Mighty Joe and the owners of the newspaper.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joe, Mighty People executed for murder Bank robbers Nigerian gangsters Nigerian people convicted of murder People convicted of murder by Nigeria 20th-century executions by Nigeria Executed Nigerian people 1973 murders in Africa