The Presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu granted clemency, not a pardon, to Maryam Sanda — the woman convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. The clarification follows public outrage and confusion over reports suggesting that Sanda had been granted a full presidential pardon.
According to reports, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the clarification during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme. Onanuga explained that President Tinubu’s decision was guided by compassion and humanity, emphasizing that the case was not a premeditated crime but one driven by emotion and circumstance.
He stated that the President took into account the welfare of Sanda’s young children, who would have been left without parental care if the death sentence had been upheld. “Maryam Sanda was given clemency, not a pardon. Her kids were put into consideration. It was a crime of passion, not premeditated,” Onanuga said.
He further noted that the President’s action reflected his human side — a willingness to listen to the people and respond with empathy. “This president is not someone who is afraid to review his own decisions. He’s been very considerate about this. He’s a human being, who can make mistakes, but he also listens to the public,” Onanuga explained.
Providing context to the decision, Onanuga pointed out that conflicts between couples can sometimes escalate unexpectedly, leading to tragic outcomes. He said, “Anything can happen between a man and a woman in the heat of the moment. The president was moved by compassion, understanding that this was not a calculated murder, but one born out of emotion and anger.”
The presidential aide stressed that the decision to commute Sanda’s death sentence to 12 years imprisonment should not be seen as undermining the judicial process, but rather as an act of mercy consistent with the President’s belief in justice with a human face. He noted that Tinubu had exercised his constitutional powers in a balanced manner — respecting the rule of law while also considering humanitarian grounds.
Recall that in 2020, Maryam Sanda was convicted by a High Court in Abuja for fatally stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP chairman, during a domestic dispute. The case drew widespread public attention and sparked national debate about domestic violence, emotional control, and justice.
Recently, President Tinubu’s decision to reduce Sanda’s sentence stirred mixed reactions across the country. While some Nigerians condemned the move, arguing it set a bad precedent, others viewed it as an act of compassion that recognized the complexity of human emotions in domestic disputes.
Onanuga reiterated that the President’s gesture was a commutation of sentence — a reduction in punishment — not a full pardon that erases guilt. “The President was guided by compassion, not politics,” he concluded, reaffirming that Sanda remains a convicted offender serving a reduced 12-year prison term.
