President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. The decision follows widespread backlash over her inclusion in a recent clemency list.
After a review by the Council of State, Tinubu revoked Sanda’s pardon and reduced her sentence to six years in prison instead of a full pardon. The President also ordered the transfer of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy to the Ministry of Justice and called for new guidelines to prevent future controversies.
The reversal is seen as an effort to restore public confidence and ensure that presidential mercy does not undermine justice, particularly in cases involving serious crimes like murder and kidnapping.