By Erewunmi Peace

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has withdrawn the earlier clemency granted to Maryam Sanda, the woman convicted for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, and directed that she serve a 12-year prison term instead of facing execution.

This development follows widespread criticism of her inclusion in the recent presidential pardon list, which many Nigerians described as unjust considering the gravity of her crime.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the review of the clemency list was carried out to “correct oversights and uphold the principles of justice and fairness.” The Presidency clarified that while the death sentence had been commuted to a fixed jail term, Sanda is not among those fully pardoned.

The statement emphasized that the decision to convert her sentence to 12 years was taken on compassionate grounds, factoring in her years already spent in custody and the welfare of her young children.

“The President remains committed to the rule of law and will ensure that justice is served while also allowing for humane considerations where necessary,” the statement read in part.

Maryam Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging in January 2020 after the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory found her guilty of killing her husband during a domestic dispute in 2017.

Her sentence has now been formally commuted to imprisonment, effectively reversing the earlier clemency decision.