Residents of Kokori community in Delta State were thrown into celebration after reports emerged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu granted amnesty to the convicted kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah, popularly known as Kelvin Ibruvwe.
Kelvin, aged 44, was once one of Nigeria’s most feared criminal masterminds. He led a notorious kidnapping and robbery gang responsible for the deaths of several police officers, soldiers, and civilians during his reign of terror across multiple states.
He gained national attention in 2013 when a joint team of the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services (DSS) arrested him on September 25, 2013. His capture came just weeks after he kidnapped prominent lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) along the Auchi–Benin expressway on August 24, 2013 — one of the most shocking abductions in Nigeria’s history.
Before his arrest, Kelvin was linked to a string of high-profile kidnappings and violent crimes, including:
- The abduction of a Judge of the Edo State Judiciary.
- The kidnapping of a senior female official of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
- The abduction and subsequent killing of Dr. Chudi Nwike, a former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, while in captivity.
- The kidnapping of several National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and security personnel.
Kelvin also established multiple operational bases and detention camps across the South-South and South-East regions, including Warri and Kokori in Delta State, Ugbokolo in Benue State, Benin City in Edo State, and Aba in Abia State.
His group frequently launched attacks on security agents, conducted armed robberies, and terrorized communities across Delta, Edo, Rivers, and Anambra States.
In September 2013, Kelvin issued a 60-day ultimatum to the federal government, demanding the release of his gang members held by the DSS, threatening nationwide violence if his demands were not met.
Before his arrest, Kelvin was linked to a string of high-profile kidnappings and violent crimes, including:
- The abduction of a Judge of the Edo State Judiciary.
- The kidnapping of a senior female official of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
- The abduction and subsequent killing of Dr. Chudi Nwike, a former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, while in captivity.
- The kidnapping of several National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and security personnel.
Kelvin also established multiple operational bases and detention camps across the South-South and South-East regions, including Warri and Kokori in Delta State, Ugbokolo in Benue State, Benin City in Edo State, and Aba in Abia State.
His group frequently launched attacks on security agents, conducted armed robberies, and terrorized communities across Delta, Edo, Rivers, and Anambra States.
In September 2013, Kelvin issued a 60-day ultimatum to the federal government, demanding the release of his gang members held by the DSS, threatening nationwide violence if his demands were not met.
After spending 12 years of his 20-year prison sentence, Kelvin Oniarah was among the prisoners granted presidential pardon under President Bola Tinubu’s recent amnesty initiative aimed at decongesting prisons and promoting rehabilitation.
His release has sparked mixed reactions across the country — while some view it as a step towards reconciliation and reintegration, others have expressed concern over the message it sends regarding justice for victims of violent crimes.
Nonetheless, in Kokori, his hometown, residents were seen celebrating his return, marking the end of over a decade in confinement for one of the region’s most infamous figures.
