By Erewunmi Peace

The father of the late Bilyaminu Bello has revealed that he personally appealed to the Federal Government and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy to grant clemency to his daughter-in-law, Maryam Sanda — the woman convicted of killing his son in 2017.

Speaking after news of her release surfaced, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, father of the deceased, said he had repeatedly sought mercy for Sanda based on forgiveness and her conduct during incarceration. He confirmed that he wrote to former President Muhammadu Buhari and renewed his plea under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

“I forgave her long ago. I appealed to President Buhari and now to President Tinubu to forgive her too. She has served years in prison, and her behavior there has been good,” Isa said.

Presidency Confirms Clemency Was Based on ‘Good Conduct and Remorse’

The Presidency, through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that Maryam Sanda was among 175 inmates granted presidential clemency following recommendations from the National Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

According to the statement, Sanda’s inclusion was based on “good conduct, remorse, and the best interest of her two children”, alongside positive recommendations from correctional authorities.

The Presidential Advisory Committee stated that it reviewed hundreds of petitions and relied on testimonies from prison officials before forwarding the final list to the President for approval.

While Alhaji Isa supported the government’s decision, other members of the Bello family have publicly condemned the pardon, describing it as “the worst form of injustice.”

A spokesperson for the family told The Guardian that the decision “reopened old wounds” and suggested that justice had not been served.

Maryam Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging in January 2020 after the Federal Capital Territory High Court found her guilty of murdering her husband, Bilyaminu Bello — son of a former PDP chairman. Her sentence was later commuted, and she had spent several years at the Kuje Correctional Centre before being granted clemency in October 2025.

The clemency sparked widespread debate across Nigeria, with human rights advocates, religious leaders, and legal experts weighing in. Supporters argue that the move demonstrates compassion and the possibility of rehabilitation, while critics insist it undermines the justice system.