Nigeria’s most feared kidnap and robbery kingpin, Kelvin Prosper Oniarah, popularly known as Kelvin Ibruvwe, has been released from prison after receiving a presidential pardon from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The 44-year-old, who once terrorised parts of the South-South and Southeast regions, walked free after serving 12 years of a 20-year sentence.
Kelvin’s release has sparked widespread debate across the country, given his notorious criminal record and history of violent activities. Security experts and victims’ families have expressed mixed feelings about the government’s decision, describing it as both controversial and potentially unsettling for communities that still remember his reign of terror.
Oniarah, who was once the most wanted criminal in Nigeria, was the leader of a heavily armed kidnapping and robbery syndicate that operated across Delta, Edo, Rivers, and Anambra States. His gang was responsible for numerous abductions, murders, and armed robberies, targeting both civilians and security operatives.
On September 25, 2013, a combined team of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives and Nigerian Army personnel arrested Kelvin after a fierce manhunt. Before his arrest, he had issued a 60-day ultimatum to the Federal Government demanding the release of his detained gang members, threatening to unleash violence on innocent citizens if his demands were not met.
Among his most notorious crimes was the kidnap of human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Mike Ozekhome, along the Auchi–Benin road on August 24, 2013. Ozekhome was held captive for several weeks before his eventual release. Kelvin’s gang was also implicated in the abduction and killing of Dr. Chudi Nwike, a former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, who died while in captivity.
Security investigations revealed that Oniarah’s network extended across multiple states, with operational bases and detention camps in Warri and Kokori (Delta State), Ugbokolo (Benue State), Benin City (Edo State), and Aba (Abia State). His group was linked to the deaths of several police and military officers, as well as the kidnapping of a judge of the Edo State Judiciary and a senior official of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
After his capture, Kelvin was sentenced to 20 years in prison following a high-profile trial that attracted national attention. He had spent 12 years behind bars before being included among those recently pardoned under the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which sought to free inmates deemed to have shown remorse and evidence of rehabilitation.
The Federal Government defended the clemency, saying it followed legal and humanitarian guidelines. However, public reactions have been divided. Some citizens argue that such releases undermine justice and embolden criminal networks, while others believe in the possibility of reformation and second chances.
Kelvin’s current whereabouts remain undisclosed, but sources within the security community confirmed that he has been released under strict supervision.
The government has assured Nigerians that national security remains a top priority and that those freed through the amnesty programme would be closely monitored to prevent any relapse into criminal activity.
Still, for many who remember the fear that once gripped the Niger Delta region, Kelvin Oniarah’s release is a haunting reminder of a dark chapter in Nigeria’s security history.
