President Bola Tinubu has granted clemency to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in Abuja.
Bello, the late son of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Haliru Bello, was killed in 2017, leading to a high-profile trial that ended with Sanda’s conviction and death sentence by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
Sanda, who has spent six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, is among 175 beneficiaries of President Tinubu’s presidential pardon and clemency.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
According to the statement, Sanda’s family appealed for her release, citing the welfare of her two children, her remorse, and her exemplary conduct while in custody.
“The plea was anchored on her good behaviour in prison, genuine remorse, and commitment to a reformed lifestyle, which earned her a recommendation for mercy,” Onanuga stated.
He explained that the clemency followed the recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The committee considered several criteria in granting the pardons, including remorse, good conduct, old age, and evidence of rehabilitation through education or vocational training. Some inmates were recognized for enrolling in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), while others showed remarkable behavioural transformation.
Among those who also received presidential pardons were convicts of illegal mining, white-collar crimes, drug-related offences, and foreigners. Historical figures such as Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the Ogoni Eight were also posthumously included in the clemency list.
