In a move that has sparked widespread disbelief and condemnation, President Bola Tinubu has granted clemency to Maryam Sanda, the woman convicted of murdering her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in a high-profile case that once gripped the nation.
Sanda, who was sentenced to death by hanging in January 2020 by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, will walk free after serving just six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre. Her victim, Bilyaminu Bello, was the son of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Haliru Bello.
The pardon was announced Saturday in a statement by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who cited a plea from Sanda’s family and her alleged “good conduct” in prison. The statement claimed the release was in the “best interest of her two children” and praised Sanda’s “embracement of a new lifestyle.”
Critics have slammed the decision as a dangerous precedent that undermines the rule of law and trivializes violent crime. Legal observers note that Sanda’s conviction followed a rigorous judicial process, and her sentence was upheld despite appeals. Her release now raises serious questions about political influence, selective justice, and the integrity of Nigeria’s penal system.
The pardon was reportedly recommended by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). The committee also extended clemency to 174 other convicts, including drug offenders, illegal miners, and white-collar criminals. Among those pardoned were controversial figures such as Major General Mamman Vatsa, Professor Magaji Garba, and capital offenders including Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight.
While the Presidency framed the mass pardon as a gesture of rehabilitation and reform, critics argue it reflects a troubling disregard for justice and accountability. “This is not mercy—it’s mockery,” one legal analyst said. “What message does this send to victims of domestic violence and to the judiciary that delivered a rare conviction?”
The decision comes amid growing public frustration over impunity, elite privilege, and the erosion of public trust in Nigeria’s justice system. For many, the release of a convicted murderer under the guise of compassion is not just controversial—it’s indefensible.