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Nigerians on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), are reacting strongly to reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda — the woman convicted of killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in 2017.
Bello, the son of former PDP National Chairman Haliru Bello, was murdered at their home in Pension Estate, Wuse 2, Abuja. According to reports, Maryam stabbed him three times in the back and inflicted multiple injuries on his private parts during a domestic altercation allegedly sparked by suspicions of infidelity.
In January 2020, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court sentenced her to death by hanging, following a high-profile trial that gripped the nation.
Now, after serving six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, Sanda has reportedly received clemency from President Tinubu, sparking widespread reactions online.
The news was confirmed in a statement released on Saturday, October 11, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. According to the statement, Sanda’s family had appealed for her release, citing the welfare of her two young children.
The plea also highlighted her alleged good conduct in prison, remorse, and transformation during incarceration. These factors, the statement said, demonstrated her commitment to rehabilitation and were key to her being considered for mercy.
The pardon was recommended by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, led by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). The committee reportedly assessed various inmates based on criteria such as genuine remorse, rehabilitation through education or vocational training, old age, and good behavior.
Maryam Sanda was among 175 individuals who received presidential pardons, including convicted illegal miners, white-collar criminals, repentant drug offenders, and foreigners. High-profile names such as Major General Mamman Vatsa, Professor Magaji Garba, Major Akubo, and even the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight were also listed.
The inclusion of Sanda — whose case remains one of Nigeria’s most controversial domestic violence trials — has reignited conversations around justice, gender, and presidential power in the country.
