Victim’s Family Reacts To Maryam Sanda’s Pardon
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that the family of the late Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello has strongly condemned the recent presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted of his murder in 2017.
President Bola Tinubu’s decision to grant clemency, announced on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, led to Sanda’s release after nearly seven years in custody at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.
Sanda was sentenced to death in 2020 after being found guilty of the premeditated murder of her husband during a domestic dispute. Onanuga explained that the pardon followed appeals from Sanda’s family, citing the welfare of her two children, her good conduct in prison, and signs of remorse.
However, in a strongly worded statement signed by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, the Bello family described the pardon as “the worst possible injustice,” saying it trivialises the gravity of the crime and the profound pain suffered by the victim’s loved ones.
“It is as though she merely squashed an ant,” the family said, criticising what they view as a decision aimed at appeasing Sanda’s family while ignoring the deep emotional wounds inflicted on theirs.
They recalled the exhaustive judicial process, which saw Sanda’s death sentence upheld by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in December 2020 and October 2023 respectively bringing what little closure was possible.
“Despite showing no remorse throughout the trial, we found some solace in the judgments. Now, that fragile sense of justice has been shattered,” the family said.
They also expressed frustration that Sanda’s appeal for clemency highlighted her children, noting that she had previously denied those same children a relationship with their father.
“To see Maryam Sanda walk free, unmarked by her heinous act, is a cruel insult to the memory of Bilyaminu,” the statement continued. “This clemency has not only reopened our wounds but made our loved one appear like just another statistic — a faceless victim in a country where justice is too often selective.”
The family concluded by urging the public and relevant authorities to remember the human cost of this crime, and to recognise Bilyaminu not just as a name in the headlines, but as a cherished son, friend, and father whose life was cut short in the most brutal way.
