The ₦10 Robbery That Sent Mighty Joe to the Firing Squad (Isiaka Busari)

The program

In the early 1970s, one name carried weight on the streets of Idi Oro, Lagos, Mighty Joe.

Born Isiaka Busari, he became notorious for intimidating residents, extorting money, and using fear to maintain his reputation. His influence grew during a period when Lagos was struggling with violent crime, and his story eventually ended at Bar Beach in 1973.

But accounts of his life, his criminal connections, and the circumstances surrounding his execution do not all agree.

In this episode, we trace Mighty Joe's rise, the reputation that made him feared in Lagos, his arrest, and the controversy surrounding his execution.

Listener discretion is advised.