MARYAM SANDA REMOVED FROM PRESIDENT TINUBU’S PARDON LIST AFTER PUBLIC OUTCRY
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The Presidency has reportedly removed Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, from the list of beneficiaries of President Bola Tinubu’s recent pardon.
Sanda was convicted by an Abuja High Court in 2020 for the murder of Bello, the son of a former PDP chairman, Haliru Bello, during a domestic dispute in 2017. Her inclusion in the initial list of pardoned individuals sparked widespread public outrage and condemnation from human rights groups, legal experts, and victims’ families.
Sources within the Presidency revealed that the decision to remove Sanda followed security vetting and consultations with relevant agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The review was ordered after concerns were raised about the inclusion of individuals convicted of serious crimes in the clemency list.
“The President directed that any individual convicted of offences with grave moral or security implications should be excluded from the final list,” a senior government official said on condition of anonymity.
Public backlash intensified after reports emerged that Sanda’s name was among those recommended for clemency. Critics argued that granting her a pardon would undermine the integrity of the justice system and disrespect the memory of the victim.
Civil society organisations and women’s rights advocates also questioned the moral and legal basis of such a pardon, describing it as “a dangerous precedent that erodes public confidence in Nigeria’s justice process.”
While the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy has yet to release the final, approved list, sources confirmed that Sanda’s name has been struck out.
President Tinubu’s clemency initiative, which followed consultations with the Council of State, aims to release or commute the sentences of select inmates who meet specific legal and humanitarian criteria. However, the Presidency has stressed that those convicted of violent crimes, corruption, or offences with national security implications will not be considered.
As of press time, neither the Presidency nor the Ministry of Justice had issued an official statement confirming Sanda’s removal, but multiple credible sources have verified the exclusion.
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