President Bola Tinubu has approved a reduction in the prison term of convicted kidnapper Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe, who abducted Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mike Ozekhome in 2013. Ezigbe’s 20-year sentence was cut to 13 years following a presidential pardon endorsed by the National Council of State.
Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga said the decision reflected Ezigbe’s remorse and his efforts toward rehabilitation through the National Open University programme. Ezigbe, once a notorious gang leader in Delta State, was convicted in 2023 for terrorism-related offences and kidnapping after his arrest in Port Harcourt in 2013.
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The President’s recent clemency decision has stirred criticism from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who said extending pardons to individuals convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, murder, and corruption undermines the sanctity of justice and sends troubling signals about the government’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law.
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