President Bola Tinubu has reversed the presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of former PDP chairman, Haliru Bello.
In an official gazette released on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Sanda’s clemency has been reviewed. Her death sentence was converted to a 12-year jail term, meaning she will serve approximately six more years, having already spent six years and eight months in custody at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.
The gazette, titled “Reduced Terms,” stated that Sanda’s new sentence was approved on “compassionate grounds, in the best interest of her children and due to her good conduct, remorse, and reformation while in custody.”
The review follows widespread criticism of the President’s initial pardon list, which included individuals convicted of serious crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, and corruption.
Confirming the development, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the review was initiated after consultations with the Council of State and public feedback.
“It is to be recalled that following consultations with the Council of State, the President received concerns on the recommended list and consequently initiated a due process review,” Fagbemi said. “This exercise was to ensure that only persons who met stipulated legal and procedural requirements would benefit from the prerogative of mercy.”
He noted that the review aimed to balance justice with compassion while reinforcing fairness and due process.
The Minister also announced that the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy would be relocated from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice. The move, he said, is to ensure stricter oversight and compliance in future exercises.
President Tinubu also directed the Attorney-General to issue new guidelines requiring mandatory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies before clemency is granted.
The initial pardon, which included Sanda among 175 beneficiaries, had drawn sharp criticism from political figures and civil society organisations. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) described the gesture as an “abuse of presidential privilege” and “a dangerous affront to justice.”
Sanda’s commuted sentence marks a dramatic turnaround in the government’s approach to the controversial pardon list, signalling Tinubu’s intent to restore confidence in the justice system while maintaining a balance between mercy and accountability.
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