Tinubu Revokes Pardon for Maryam Sanda After Public Outcry

P President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has withdrawn the presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. The latest decision means her sentence has now been reviewed to 12 years’ imprisonment, instead of the death penalty initially handed down by the court.

The development was announced in an official gazette issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the document, Sanda’s case was revisited following widespread backlash and concerns raised over her inclusion in the clemency list recently approved by the President.

Sanda has already spent about six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre. The presidency noted that the new term granted to her was based on compassionate grounds, while emphasizing that the initial decision to pardon her was reevaluated after further scrutiny.

Her conviction, which stemmed from the fatal stabbing of her husband in their Abuja residence, generated national attention and strong public sentiments. The revocation of the pardon now appears to signal a firmer stance by the administration on cases involving grave offences.