3 weeks ago
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Nigerians person expressed outrage connected societal media pursuing quality that Maryam Sanda, who was convicted successful 2020 for the execution of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, has been granted a statesmanlike pardon by President Bola Tinubu.
Sanda, who had spent years successful prison, was among 175 inmates whose sentences were either commuted oregon pardoned connected Friday, October 11, 2025, according to a connection from the Presidency.
The clemency, the connection noted, followed recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee connected the Prerogative of Mercy, which cited Sanda’s “good conduct, remorse, and work arsenic a parent of 2 young children” arsenic cardinal factors down her information for pardon.
LEADERSHIP reports that Maryam Sanda was convicted for stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, lad of a erstwhile PDP nationalist president and erstwhile Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr Mohammed Halliru Bello, to decease during a home quality astatine their Maitama location successful Abuja connected November 19, 2017.
The lawsuit drew wide nationalist attraction aft photos of the mates circulated online, sparking nationalist statement connected home unit and justice.
In January 2020, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court recovered Maryam blameworthy of premeditated execution and sentenced her to decease by hanging. She was aboriginal moved to the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre successful Niger State, wherever she remained until her merchandise nether the statesmanlike clemency programme.
However, the determination to pardon her has triggered beardown backlash crossed societal media platforms, particularly connected X (formerly Twitter), wherever galore Nigerians accused the authorities of selective justice.
User @arojinle1 wrote, “Yorùbá is conscionable each round. I saw the Maryam Sanda quality and conscionable 1 Yorùbá connection came to mind: ‘The 1 who dies is the eventual loser. Don’t fto them termination you o.’”
Another user, @jollz, expressed disbelief, saying, “That Maryam Sanda pardon truly drives location erstwhile Nigerians accidental ‘na who die, lose’. Kai.”
Criticising the decision, @basquiatshow tweeted, “They accidental it’s for the kids, but a lawsuit of premeditated execution should ne'er person been considered for pardon. The Lateef Fagbemi and @NGRPresident missed connected this one. It’s axenic injustice.”
In a akin tone, @HiikyaaTor compared Sanda’s clemency to different arguable convictions, “Mr Sunday Jackson is sentenced to decease for defending himself, yet Maryam Sanda, who stabbed her hubby aggregate times, gets clemency. What a country!”
Another commentator, @Wasppaping_, summed up the frustration, writing, “Maryam Sanda has been pardoned by President Tinubu. In this country, delight don’t fto anyone termination you. They volition locomotion free.”
On Facebook, a user, Muhammad Hashim wrote, “She is besides free. I deliberation adjacent is for her to contention predetermination arsenic a lawmaker truthful that she’d beryllium making laws for you and me.”
Another user, Muhammed S. Halima wrote, “Naija my country, things similar this don’t travel arsenic a astonishment anymore. Allah ya kyauta.”
Sadiya Abubakar Sadiq wrote, “Hmmm Nigeria is genuinely 1 weird country. He didn’t spot chickenhearted thieves to pardon oh…. it’s cause dealers and killers helium saw to propulsion backmost to into the society. If time sidesplitting husbands go a precise rampant inclination they’ll act surprised.”
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