By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has granted a popular former native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu (popularly known as Akwa Ọkụkọ Tiwara Akị) a pardon, freeing him from jail.
Governor Soludo announced the pardon on Friday during a visit to the Correctional Centre in Amawbia, where the former native doctor was serving.
The pardon is coming barely 3 months to the end of Akwa Ọkụkọ’s jail term, and barely one hour after Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka sentenced another popular native doctor, Ekene Igboekweze (popularly known as “Eke Hit,”) to six years’ imprisonment on two-count charges.
“If I’m going out now, you follow me,” Governor Soludo told Akwa Ọkụkọ while announcing the pardon.
Videos from the scene also show the Governor signing the necessary documents to validate the pardon and leave with Nwangwu.
While the pardon by the Governor has been widely celebrated, reports show that it came at a time when Akwa Ọkụkọ had barely three months remaining to complete his jail term.
Recall that Akwa Ọkụkọ was convicted on February 27, 2026 and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by the State High Court sitting in Awka, following his arrest in February 2025 by the Anambra State Government.
Prior to his conviction, he had spent about 13 months in security custody.
Consequently, during the sentencing, the court ruled that part of the sentence would run concurrently with the period he had already spent in custody (the first 13 months), thereby, leaving him with only 11 months to stay in jail. The ₦60 million fines initially imposed in addition to his jail term were also waived by the court due to his guilty plea and remorse.
Based on the foregoing, the remaining 11 months from his jail term, which started counting from his conviction date in February 2026, therefore would be ending in December 2026, barely 3 months before the governor announced the pardon.
Reacting to the development in a post shared on his social media handle, the Special Adviser on Youth Reformation Agenda to Governor Soludo, Dr. Nelson Omenugha, described it as the heart of youth reformation, adding that the Governor also gave Akwa Ọkụkọ a new responsibility as Ambassador for Youth Reformation.
“Soludo pardons former native doctor Chidozie Nwangwu (Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki) – under the prerogative of mercy. Nwangwu is now Ambassador for Youth Reformation in Anambra.
“Reformation in action.
“Thank you, Mr Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, for graciously extending your hand of mercy to Chidozie Nwangwu (Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki) and giving him a new responsibility as Ambassador for Youth Reformation.
“This is the heart of Youth Reformation: not just punishment, but correction, restoration, a new purpose and A New Onye Anambra,” Omenugha wrote.
){kind=link}