Nigerians React as Tinubu Grants Presidential Pardon to Convicted Husband Killer Maryam Sanda

President Bola Tinubu has granted a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda, the woman convicted in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, son of a former PDP chairman, Haliru Bello.

The development was announced in a statement issued on Saturday, October 11, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to Onanuga, Sanda’s release followed a recommendation from 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).

He stated that her family had pleaded for clemency, citing her good conduct in prison, remorse, and reformation, as well as the need for her to care for her two children.

“The plea was anchored on her good conduct in jail, her remorse, and her embracement of a new lifestyle, demonstrating her commitment to being a model prisoner,” the statement read.

Onanuga added that the beneficiaries of the presidential pardon were selected based on criteria such as remorse, good behaviour, old age, and evidence of rehabilitation through education or vocational training. Some inmates, he said, were enrolled in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), while others showed outstanding behavioural reform.

Other notable figures reportedly granted clemency include Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, and Ken Saro-Wiwa alongside the Ogoni Eight — among a total of 175 convicts and ex-convicts.

The decision has, however, sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). While a few hailed the President’s gesture as an act of compassion, many criticised the move, describing it as “selective justice” and “politically motivated.”

Some users questioned why influential individuals convicted of serious crimes were granted freedom while “innocent or poor citizens languish in prison for petty offences.”

The debate continues to dominate online discussions, with many calling for transparency in the country’s clemency process.