Court Jails Mike Ozekhome’s Kidnappers 20 Years Each for Terrorism and Murder

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two men, Kelvin Ezeiegbe and Frank Azuekor, to 20 years in prison each for their involvement in the 2013 kidnapping of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Mike Ozekhome, and the killing of six security operatives during the abduction.

Justice Binta Nyako delivered the judgment on Monday, convicting the duo of terrorism, kidnapping, and murder. The case was prosecuted by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Ozekhome and his driver were kidnapped on August 23, 2013, along the Benin–Auchi highway in Edo State by an armed gang led by Ezeiegbe and Azuekor. The attack resulted in a deadly confrontation that left six security officers dead.

While Ezeiegbe and Azuekor were found guilty, the court discharged and acquitted two others — Michael Omonigho and Haruna Momoh — who were listed as the third and fourth defendants. Justice Nyako held that the prosecution failed to prove allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping against them.

However, Momoh remains on the run after escaping from the Kuje Correctional Centre during a jailbreak in 2022. The judge ordered security agencies to re-arrest him and prosecute him for escaping lawful custody.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu, called seven witnesses and tendered 16 exhibits. Among those who testified was Prof. Ozekhome himself, who narrated how he was abducted at gunpoint and held hostage for days before his release.

The convicts were initially arraigned in 2013 on a 13-count charge that included terrorism, kidnapping, conspiracy, and recruitment for terrorist acts — offences punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (as amended).

The long-running case marks one of Nigeria’s most high-profile kidnapping prosecutions of the past decade and highlights the judiciary’s growing resolve to deliver justice in terrorism-related cases.