Tinubu Revokes Maryam Sanda’s Presidential Pardon, Reduces Death Sentence To 12 Years After Public Outcry

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reversed the controversial presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP chairman. The reversal follows intense public backlash over the clemency, which many Nigerians described as an insult to justice.

According to an official gazette released on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Sanda’s death sentence has now been commuted to 12 years imprisonment.

The document stated that Sanda, who has already spent six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, will now serve approximately six more years after her term was reviewed on “compassionate grounds” — citing her “good conduct, remorsefulness, and the best interest of her children.”

The gazette titled “Reduced Terms” noted that the revision was carried out under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and also affected several other inmates.

Confirming the move, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the decision followed a due process review initiated by the President after widespread criticism of the original pardon list.

“During this final review, few persons earlier recommended were found not to have met the necessary requirements and were accordingly delisted, while in some other cases, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the spirit of the exercise,” Fagbemi said.

He emphasized that the President’s action aimed to balance justice with compassion, underscoring Tinubu’s commitment to humane correctional practices and justice reforms.

The Justice Minister further disclosed that the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy has been moved from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Ministry of Justice to ensure better oversight.

The President has also directed the Attorney-General to develop new guidelines for future clemency exercises including mandatory consultation with prosecuting agencies to prevent future controversies.

The initial pardon, which had included Sanda and over 170 others, sparked national outrage. Opposition leaders such as Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) condemned the move, calling it a “grave setback” for Nigeria’s justice system and anti-drug campaign.

The reversal marks one of the first times in recent Nigerian history that a presidential pardon has been publicly rescinded following citizen backlash a move observers say underscores growing public scrutiny of executive power.