WHEN President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, announced the grant of presidential pardon and clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts, many saw it as a symbolic act of mercy, unity, and national healing.
But few could have predicted the firestorm it would ignite. News Point Nigeria takes a deeper look at the mercy list that set Nigeria’s conscience ablaze and the unfolding drama it left in its wake.
Among those named were some of Nigeria’s most controversial figures, Major General Mamman Vatsa, Professor Magaji Garba, the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight, as well as Maryam Sanda, the woman convicted for the 2017 killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, son of a prominent political family in Abuja.
The announcement, contained in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and sent to this newspaper, revealed that the President’s decision followed recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi (SAN).
The report, presented to the Council of State, highlighted that many inmates had shown repentance, embraced good conduct, acquired vocational training, and even enrolled in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
The mercy list also included aged prisoners, those with terminal health conditions, and individuals considered victims of colonial-era injustice such as Sir Herbert Macaulay, posthumously exonerated for charges once deemed treasonous.
Yet, one name overshadowed all others: Maryam Sanda.
Sanda, 37, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, to death during a domestic dispute in their Abuja home. Her conviction had gone through the full judicial process upheld by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Her inclusion in the presidential pardon, therefore, stunned many Nigerians.
According to Onanuga’s statement, Sanda’s clemency was based on a plea from her family, emphasizing her two children’s welfare, her good conduct in prison, and her transformation into what correctional officials described as a “model inmate.”
But to the family of her late husband, the news reopened wounds long thought to have healed.
In a statement made available to this newspaper and signed by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, OFR (Dangaladiman Gwandu), a former PDP National Chairman and Bilyaminu’s uncle, the family expressed deep pain and disappointment.
They described the pardon as a “cruel blow” that “reopened old wounds and erased justice painstakingly secured through years of legal battle.”
“Although the perpetrator had shown no remorse throughout the saga,” the statement read, “the grieving family took solace in the court verdicts and moved on.
“To have Maryam Sanda walk the face of the earth again, free from any blemish for her heinous crime, as if she had merely squashed an ant, is the worst possible injustice any family could endure.”
The family accused Sanda’s relatives of leveraging political connections and public sympathy while ignoring the trauma inflicted on their own kin. They also condemned what they termed “selective mercy”, suggesting that the pardon reflected political and sentimental bias rather than compassion rooted in justice.
Barely 24 hours later, the controversy deepened.
In a surprise twist, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, Bilyaminu’s biological father, called a press conference in Abuja covered by News Point Nigeria, where he publicly forgave Maryam Sanda and expressed support for her release.
“I am happy that the father of the nation has released Maryam so that she can look after her children,” he said calmly.
“We as Muslims accept whatever comes from Almighty Allah. I have forgiven her and bear no grudges against the Federal Government or her family. Vengeance cannot bring back my son, but forgiveness can bring peace.”
He disclosed that his appeal for clemency dated back to 2019, even before Sanda’s death sentence was delivered, adding that he had written letters to the then Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the FCT Commissioner of Police, asking for leniency.
“That is their personal opinion,” he said, referring to other family members’ opposition. “I am the father of the deceased, and I have chosen forgiveness.”
As the uproar spread across social and traditional media, civil society groups, politicians, and ordinary citizens condemned the pardon as an “abuse of executive mercy.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described it as a “national disgrace,” warning that pardoning convicts of capital crimes would “embolden criminality.”
Similarly, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), called it “an abuse of the presidential power of mercy.”
Responding to the storm, AGF Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) issued a clarification, stating that no inmate including Maryam Sanda had yet been released.
He explained that the clemency list was still under administrative review, adding that the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service would only act after formal instruments of release were signed.
“The process remains at the final administrative stage,” he said, “to ensure all names and recommendations comply with legal and procedural standards.”
He also confirmed that security and anti-graft agencies, including the EFCC, NDLEA, and ICPC—were vetting the list, warning that not all names initially approved might make the final cut.
Speaking to News Point Nigeria, a cousin of the late Bilyaminu Bello expressed the family’s inner conflict.
“We all want her freed for the sake of the children,” he said, “but the pain remains because she and her family have never shown remorse. Instead, they blame us for pursuing justice.”
In contrast, Hauwa Ibrahim, a childhood friend of Maryam Sanda, told this newspaper that the presidential gesture should be seen as a moment of grace.
“If you know Maryam, you will know she is not violent. She is just a jealous wife who made a terrible mistake,” he said. “The President’s decision is noble and should be applauded.”
A Professor of Behavioural Studies from Ilorin, also speaking to News Point Nigeria, described the divided reactions as natural.
“When your loved one benefits from a pardon, you see mercy; when your loved one is the victim, you see injustice,” he said. “But all over the world, clemency exists to balance justice with compassion.”
Amid mounting criticism, sources within the Presidency revealed that some names on the pardon list might be dropped.
According to an insider, anti-graft and security agencies raised objections, alleging that “some names were smuggled in” by lower-level committee members.
“The list was too wide,” one presidential aide told News Point Nigeria. “Not all the names came from the screening committee. Some individuals convicted of murder, kidnapping, or violent crimes will likely be removed.”
Officials confirmed that the review was part of a broader effort to ensure only those who genuinely deserve mercy are released.
For President Tinubu, the 175 pardons were meant to signal compassion, reconciliation, and the possibility of second chances.
But in a country battling insecurity, corruption, and public distrust in the justice system, the move has instead sparked a profound debate: Where does mercy end and impunity begin?
Whether Maryam Sanda ultimately walks free or remains behind bars, the controversy surrounding her case has reignited painful national questions about justice and forgiveness, and the meaning of leadership in a time of moral trial.