President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP chairman.
The decision follows widespread public criticism that trailed the initial pardon, which many Nigerians described as unjust and insensitive to victims of domestic violence.In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Presidency confirmed that Tinubu has reversed the clemency and directed that Sanda serve a reduced prison sentence of six years instead of her original death penalty.
The statement added that the move was part of the government’s commitment to upholding justice while ensuring that mercy is exercised “with fairness, not sentiment.
”Sanda was convicted by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja in January 2020 for stabbing her husband to death during a domestic dispute.