The family of the late Bilyaminu Bello has strongly condemned the presidential pardon granted to his wife, Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for his murder.
They described President Bola Tinubu’s decision to include Sanda among the 175 inmates recently pardoned under the Prerogative of Mercy as “the worst possible injustice any family could be made to go through.”
In a statement issued on Monday, Dr Bello Mohammed, speaking on behalf of the family, said the move had reopened painful wounds that had barely begun to heal.
“To have Maryam Sanda walk free as if she had merely squashed an insect is the worst injustice any family could endure for a loved one,” the statement read in part.
The family recalled that Sanda was convicted by the FCT High Court on 27 January 2020 for the premeditated murder of her husband and that her conviction was upheld by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court — in December 2020 and October 2023, respectively.
They said the family had drawn comfort from the final judgment, believing that justice had prevailed despite the tragedy.
“Satisfied that justice had finally been served, the judgment provided some measure of closure. Although the perpetrator showed no remorse throughout, the family accepted the outcome and sought peace,” the statement continued.
They, however, expressed dismay that the Federal Government could extend clemency to Sanda despite the gravity of her crime, allegedly in response to appeals from her family.
“We see this decision as an attempt to appease Maryam’s family by granting mercy to a convicted murderer while ignoring the enduring pain inflicted on Bilyaminu’s loved ones,” the family said.
They further accused the government of undermining the judicial process and dehumanising their son by reducing him to “a mere statistic in Nigeria’s long list of crime victims.”
The family stressed that Bilyaminu was “a cherished son, brother, and friend,” deeply loved by many, and that Sanda had deprived her own children of their father’s love and guidance.
“The grounds for her release reportedly rested on emotional appeals, yet it was she who denied her children the affection and protection of their father,” the statement added.
Expressing deep pain over the pardon, the family said: “We are heartbroken that this government chose to prioritise appeasement over justice. Nevertheless, we take solace in knowing that ultimate justice lies with the Supreme Judge, our Creator, who will dispense it on the Day of Recompense.”
Last week, President Tinubu approved the release of 175 inmates serving various sentences under the Prerogative of Mercy policy, which allows clemency on humanitarian grounds.
Maryam Sanda, one of the beneficiaries, was convicted in 2020 after being found guilty of stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, to death at their Abuja residence on 19 November 2017.