Tinubu removes Maryam Sanda from presidential pardon list

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed the name of Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for the culpable homicide of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, from the presidential pardon list.

This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, Tinubu ordered the removal of individuals convicted of severe crimes, including kidnapping, drug offenses, human trafficking, fraud, and illegal firearms possession or trafficking, from the list.

Also, those who were previously pardoned on the old list have had their sentences reduced.

President Tinubu recently approved the release of 175 inmates serving various jail terms across the country under the Prerogative of Mercy policy, which allows the President to grant clemency on humanitarian grounds.

Sanda was one of those pardoned. She was convicted in 2020 after being found guilty of stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, to death at their Abuja home on November 19, 2017.

However, Maryam and some other criminals included in the list sparked outrage, with many accusing the government of emboldened criminality.

Following the criticism, the government ordered a multi-agency review of the proposed presidential pardon list.