Maryam Sanda & Husband

President Bola Tinubu has granted clemency to Maryam Sanda, the woman convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute in Abuja.

The decision, announced on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, brings an end to Sanda’s more than six years in prison. She had been held at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre since her conviction.

According to Mr Onanuga, the clemency was granted after pleas from her family and a review of her conduct in custody.

“President Tinubu’s decision was influenced by her good behaviour in prison, remorse, and embrace of a new lifestyle,” Onanuga said.
“Her family also appealed on humanitarian grounds, citing the welfare of her two young children.”

Conviction and Death Sentence

In January 2020, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja found Ms Sanda guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced her to death by hanging.

Justice Yusuf Halilu, who delivered the judgment, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, concluding that Ms Sanda fatally stabbed her husband with a kitchen knife during a domestic quarrel in November 2017.

The deceased, Bilyaminu Bello, was the son of Haliru Bello, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former minister.

The case, which drew national attention, was widely reported and featured in other outlets for its dramatic courtroom exchanges and social media debates about gender, justice, and domestic violence.

A Troubled Trial

She was later granted bail in March 2018 on health grounds.

During the trial, the prosecution argued that Sanda’s act was intentional, citing previous altercations and witness testimonies that she had threatened her husband before the fatal night.
However, Sanda maintained that the incident was not premeditated, claiming it occurred during a heated argument.

After over two years of hearings, Justice Halilu convicted her on 27 January 2020, delivering one of the most discussed criminal verdicts in Nigeria’s recent judicial history.

Presidential Clemency and Broader Amnesty

Ms Sanda’s release comes as part of a broader presidential clemency initiative, under which 175 convicts and ex-convicts were either freed or had their sentences reduced.

The beneficiaries include individuals convicted of minor offences, white-collar crimes, and drug-related charges, as well as foreign nationals and inmates who demonstrated remorse, good conduct, or participation in educational and vocational programmes such as those offered by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

“President Tinubu granted clemency to most of them based on reports of remorse, reform, and good behaviour,” Onanuga said.
“Some were pardoned due to old age or completion of skills acquisition programmes.”

The mass pardon is in line with Section 175 of the Nigerian Constitution, which empowers the president to grant pardons and commute sentences on the advice of the Council of State.

Public Reactions

The decision has already sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians. While some see it as a humanitarian gesture, others argue that it may undermine public confidence in the justice system, given the high-profile nature of Sanda’s case.

Women’s rights advocates have urged the government to balance compassion with justice, warning that clemency in violent crime cases should not send “the wrong message” about domestic violence accountability.

Background: The 2017 Tragedy

The tragic altercation between Sanda and Bello occurred at their home in Abuja’s Maitama district. Reports indicated that the argument escalated into physical violence, during which Sanda stabbed her husband in the chest.
He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The couple had two children together at the time of the incident.