President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
According to an official gazette released on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president reversed the pardon following public backlash. The document states that Sanda’s death sentence has now been commuted to 12 years imprisonment on compassionate grounds.
Sanda, who has already served six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, will remain in prison for approximately six more years.
The gazette read in part:
“Maryam Sanda, convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to death by hanging on 27/01/2020, has served six years and eight months at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja. Her sentence has been reduced to 12 years in the interest of her children, due to good conduct, reformation, and remorse.”
The document, titled “Reduced Terms,” also listed other beneficiaries, including Harunah Isah (35), Mamman Ibrahim (50), Sanusi Adamu (28), Sadi Musa (20), Sabiyu Aliyu, Halliru Sani (18), and 79 others.
In a statement corroborating the gazette, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), confirmed that the presidential clemency list was reviewed after consultations with the Council of State.
Fagbemi said the review aimed to ensure that only individuals who met the required legal and procedural standards benefited from the Prerogative of Mercy.
He explained:
“After consultations with the Council of State, the President initiated a review of the earlier recommended list. Some persons were delisted for not meeting requirements, while in other cases, sentences were reduced to ensure fairness and justice. This process reflects the President’s commitment to balancing justice with compassion and ensuring the exercise aligns with due process and international standards.”
The statement also revealed that President Tinubu has directed the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Additionally, the Attorney-General has been instructed to issue new guidelines for granting presidential pardons, including mandatory consultations with relevant prosecuting agencies to ensure that only deserving individuals benefit from future clemency exercises.
Earlier reports indicated that Sanda’s family had appealed for her release, citing the welfare of her two children. Her pardon had been part of a broader clemency decision that included 175 Nigerians and foreigners, among them the late environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, Major General Mamman Vatsa, and members of the “Ogoni Nine.”
However, the decision sparked public outrage, with opposition figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) criticizing the move as a setback to justice and a blow to Nigeria’s anti-drug campaign, describing it as “a dangerous affront to morality and rule of law.”
0 Comments