Tinubu removes Maryam Sanda from presidential pardon list after public outcry

Story by Okafor Vivian 

Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, has been removed from the presidential pardon list following a review ordered by President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu on Wednesday directed that individuals convicted of serious crimes—such as kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and illegal possession of firearms—be excluded from the list of pardon beneficiaries.

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According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the decision followed consultations with the Council of State and consideration of public opinion. He explained that some previously pardoned individuals had their sentences reduced instead, while those convicted of grave offences were deleted entirely.

Onanuga said the review was guided by security concerns, sensitivity to crime victims, and the need to maintain public trust in the justice system.

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The removal of Sanda comes after widespread criticism over her inclusion in the initial list of 175 inmates granted clemency on October 11, 2025. Nigerians had expressed outrage over the decision, arguing that pardoning her undermined justice for victims of domestic violence.

Sanda was convicted for stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu—son of former PDP National Chairman, Haliru Bello—to death during an argument at their Maitama, Abuja home on November 19, 2017. In January 2020, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court found her guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced her to death by hanging.

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Her initial inclusion in the pardon list was reportedly based on recommendations citing her good conduct in custody, remorse, and her role as a mother of two children. However, the presidency’s decision to remove her reflects a broader effort to exclude offenders convicted of violent or high-risk crimes from benefiting from state clemency.

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