President Bola Tinubu has granted a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted of killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in Abuja.
Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in January 2020.
The pardon was based on the recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi (SAN).
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the decision was influenced by Sanda’s good conduct in jail, her remorse, and her commitment to being a model prisoner.
Sanda’s family had pleaded for her release, citing the best interest of her two children. The family’s plea was a key factor in the president’s decision to grant clemency.
Sanda is among 175 convicts and former convicts who received clemency from President Tinubu.
The list includes notable figures such as Major General Mamman Vatsa, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and other members of the Ogoni Nine.
The pardons also include posthumous recognition for historical figures and clemency for inmates serving long sentences.
The decision to pardon Sanda has drawn attention to the president’s exercise of mercy and the justice system in Nigeria.
The pardon highlighted the complexities of the Nigerian justice system and the role of the presidency in granting clemency.
