The family of the late Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello has publicly expressed deep shock and disappointment following the recent presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for his murder in 2020.
The decision, which formed part of a broader exercise of presidential clemency under the Prerogative of Mercy, saw 175 convicted individuals either released or granted posthumous pardons. Among them was Sanda, whose case had captured national attention after her conviction for the premeditated killing of her husband in November 2017.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday and signed by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, the family of the deceased described the pardon as “the worst possible injustice” and an act that has “reopened healing wounds” nearly eight years after the tragedy.
“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 be made to go through for a loved one,” the statement read.
The family recounted how they had deliberately refrained from making public statements throughout the duration of the legal process, out of respect for the judicial system and the best interests of the two children left behind by the deceased.
Bilyaminu Bello, son of prominent political figure Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, was murdered on 19 November 2017. Sanda, his wife at the time, was arrested, tried and found guilty of his murder by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in January 2020. The death sentence handed down by the High Court was subsequently upheld by both the Court of Appeal in December 2020 and the Supreme Court in October 2023.
The family said they had taken solace in the judicial process, describing the legal outcome as a form of closure that allowed them to begin healing. However, they noted that the recent pardon not only undermines that closure but also sends a troubling message to other victims of domestic violence and families who have lost loved ones to violent crimes.
The family also criticised what they described as “sponsored falsehoods” previously circulated by the convicted killer’s supporters, which they say attempted to distort the facts of the case and malign the character of the deceased.
“Maryam, let us not forget, had earlier denied the same children now used to elicit sympathy and secure her release, the opportunity to know what a father’s love and care means,” the statement continued.
They questioned the moral and judicial basis for extending mercy to someone whom three different courts found guilty beyond reasonable doubt and who, they allege, never showed remorse for her actions.
The statement concluded with prayers for the late Bilyaminu, a call for divine justice, and an appeal for continued strength to bear the painful loss that, the family insists, has now been compounded by this latest development.
“We take solace in the simple fact that in such matters, the ultimate comprehensive justice resides purely with the Supreme Judge and our Creator,” the family said.
