By Fatima Mukhtar
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted clemency to Maryam Sanda, the woman sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. Sanda’s name appeared on the official list of 175 beneficiaries of the president’s latest exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy, announced on Friday in Abuja.
The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, who said the pardons were approved after the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Sanda, 37, had spent about six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre before being considered for clemency. The presidency explained that her good conduct in custody, remorse, and the plea of her family, especially for the welfare of her two children, influenced the decision.
The list of 175 beneficiaries includes individuals who received full pardons, sentence commutations, and clemency, as well as posthumous pardons for late national figures such as Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and Herbert Macaulay.
According to the statement, the presidential action followed recommendations reviewed during a Council of State meeting, and was aimed at promoting justice tempered with mercy. Beneficiaries were said to have demonstrated remorse, rehabilitation, good behavior, and participation in educational or vocational programs while in custody.
Maryam Sanda was convicted by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja in January 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute in 2017. Her conviction and death sentence were later upheld by the Court of Appeal.
The decision to pardon her has drawn significant public attention, given the high-profile nature of the case and its previous affirmation by the appellate court. Legal observers say the move underscores the broad constitutional powers of the president to exercise mercy but could also stir debate on justice and accountability within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The presidency maintained that the gesture was part of efforts to decongest correctional facilities and offer second chances to reformed inmates.
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