The family of the late Bilyaminu Bello has strongly condemned the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for his murder.
Describing the decision as a “devastating injustice,” the family expressed deep pain over President Bola Tinubu’s inclusion of Sanda among 175 inmates recently granted clemency under the Prerogative of Mercy.
In a statement issued Monday by Dr. Bello Mohammed on behalf of the family, they said the move has reopened emotional wounds that were just beginning to heal.
“To have Maryam Sanda walk free, without consequence for such a heinous crime, is the worst possible injustice a grieving family can suffer,” the statement read in part.
The family recalled that Sanda was convicted by an FCT High Court on January 27, 2020, for the premeditated murder of her husband.
The judgment was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal in December 2020 and the Supreme Court in October 2023.
They noted that while the legal process had offered a degree of closure, the presidential pardon has shattered that sense of justice.
“Although the perpetrator showed no remorse throughout the ordeal, we took solace in the rulings and tried to move on. This pardon has cruelly reopened our wounds,” they said.
The family also criticised the government for allegedly yielding to appeals from Sanda’s relatives while ignoring the trauma inflicted on the victim’s loved ones.
“This decision seems aimed solely at appeasing Maryam’s family, without regard for the enduring pain suffered by ours. It undermines the integrity of the judiciary and dehumanises Bilyaminu.”
They stressed that Sanda’s actions not only took Bilyaminu’s life but also robbed her children of their father’s love, a fact they say is being exploited now to gain sympathy.
“It is ironic that the same children denied their father’s love are now being cited as grounds for mercy,” the statement said.
Despite their disappointment, the family said they take comfort in their faith, believing that ultimate justice will be served by God.
President Tinubu’s clemency list, released last week, granted pardons to 175 inmates nationwide, including Maryam Sanda.
She had been found guilty of stabbing Bilyaminu Bello to death at their Abuja residence on November 19, 2017.
