DESPITE being listed among the 175 beneficiaries of President Bola Tinubu’s recent presidential pardon, convicted killer Maryam Sanda may remain behind bars at least for now as the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has ordered a comprehensive multi-agency review of the controversial clemency list.
Sanda, who was convicted in 2017 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, had been among those granted presidential mercy in the announcement made at the Council of State meeting on October 9, 2025.
But findings indicate that the release of several high-profile convicts including Sanda has now been put on hold pending a fresh integrity audit involving top security and anti-graft agencies.
Authoritative sources confirmed to News Point Nigeria that the AGF has directed a joint review involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force.
The vetting exercise, insiders said, could result in more than half of the listed nominees being dropped, as agencies race to weed out names of individuals who do not meet legal or moral criteria for state clemency.
An official involved in the process disclosed that some names on the list were “smuggled in” by lower-level committee members without presidential approval.
“Some of the names were inserted by low-level officers. The President is unaware of some of them. The list has now been sent to the EFCC, NDLEA, and other security agencies for full background checks,” the source said.
Top government officials confirmed that the Office of the Attorney-General had deliberately circulated the list to all relevant agencies to ensure transparency and due diligence before any release takes place.
“The review is ongoing,” a senior Ministry of Justice official told The PUNCH. “The AGF has made it clear that the process must pass all legal and ethical standards before submission to the President.”
The Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity to the AGF, Kamorudeen Ogundele, also confirmed that the review was in progress, describing it as part of the government’s commitment to “getting it right this time.”
“The ministry is working closely with relevant security and anti-graft bodies to ensure the exercise is fair, credible, and corruption-free,” Ogundele said.
President Tinubu, according to Presidency insiders, is awaiting the final vetted list from the AGF before giving his formal endorsement. Officials revealed that the President had insisted on a full integrity test of all proposed beneficiaries to avoid public backlash or embarrassment.
“The President wants to ensure that no one with an unresolved case or pending investigation benefits from the pardon,” a top Villa source disclosed. “More than half of the names are likely to be dropped.”
The original clemency list included illegal miners, white-collar offenders, drug convicts, and capital offenders, among others.
Some of the most controversial names include Maj. Gen. Mamman Vatsa, Prof. Magaji Garba, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight (posthumously), and Maryam Sanda, whose inclusion has stirred sharp reactions nationwide.
While some members of the Bello family publicly rejected Sanda’s pardon, her father, Alhaji Garba Sanda, joined Alhaji Bello Isa, father of the late Bilyaminu in later accepting the presidential gesture during a joint press briefing.
One government official said the review was “non-negotiable” given Nigeria’s past experiences with politically motivated pardons.
“This government does not want a repeat of the past where unqualified persons were released. Every name must pass a clearance process before the President signs off,” the official added.
The controversial list also includes Major Alabi Akubo, sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal firearm possession, and Kelvin Prosper Oniarah, a notorious kidnapping kingpin whose terror network once stretched across Delta, Edo, Rivers, Benue, Abia, and Oyo States.
Others, like Herbert Macaulay and Farouk Lawan, may likely retain their inclusion since they were not linked to violent or security-related offences.
For now, however, Maryam Sanda remains in custody, her fate tied to the outcome of the ongoing multi-agency review. If any of the vetting bodies objects to her inclusion, she could be formally delisted from the pardon list effectively nullifying the clemency.
Officials insist that no convict will be released until the EFCC, NDLEA, and Police conclude their reviews and submit findings to the AGF’s office for onward transmission to the President.
“The government is determined to avoid mistakes,” a top source said. “Every beneficiary must pass through full scrutiny before the President’s approval.”
The final approved list is expected to be forwarded to President Tinubu once all agencies complete their assessments.