President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the removal of Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, from the list of individuals granted presidential pardon.
This was confirmed on Wednesday in a statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President directed the exclusion of individuals convicted of serious crimes, including kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and illegal firearms possession, from the initial list of pardon beneficiaries.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has executed the relevant instruments of release to complete the process of formally exercising his constitutional power of prerogative of mercy to grant pardon and clemency to specific individuals earlier convicted for various offences,” the statement read.
Tinubu reportedly made the decision after consultations with the Council of State and a review of public opinion, emphasizing the need to uphold justice and maintain confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.
“Certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, unlawful possession of firearms/arms dealing, etc., were deleted from the list,” Onanuga added.
The President explained that the review became necessary to consider the feelings of victims, boost law enforcement morale, and protect national security, describing justice as a “three-way traffic — for the accused, the victim, and the state.”
Furthermore, Tinubu directed the relocation of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy Secretariat from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice, to ensure future pardon exercises meet public expectations.
He also instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue new guidelines that will make consultation with prosecuting agencies compulsory before pardons are granted.
The move follows nationwide backlash over reports that Maryam Sanda, who was convicted of killing her husband in Abuja, was included in the presidential clemency list.
The updated pardon list includes posthumous pardons for notable figures such as Ken Saro-Wiwa, Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, and Herbert Macaulay, among others.
