President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly ordered the removal of Maryam Sanda and several other names from the proposed presidential pardon list, following public outrage and internal government reviews over the initial inclusion of controversial convicts.
Reliable State House sources confirmed on Tuesday that the Presidency directed the Ministry of Justice to strike out certain names from the list earlier submitted by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM).
Background
Maryam Sanda was convicted in January 2020 and sentenced to death for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, son of former PDP National Chairman, Haliru Bello.
News of her alleged inclusion in the proposed clemency list sparked widespread criticism from citizens and rights groups, who described the move as “a mockery of justice.”
The initial list, said to contain 175 names, included individuals serving terms for various offences ranging from homicide to economic and drug-related crimes.
Reversal amid Pressure
Multiple government insiders said that President Tinubu decided to review the list after receiving “serious objections” from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and top security officials who questioned the integrity of the vetting process.
“The President was briefed that some names on the list could undermine public confidence in the justice system. He immediately directed that those entries be reviewed and withdrawn,” one official familiar with the process disclosed.
Public criticism intensified after rights groups and the Bello family condemned the inclusion of Sanda, insisting that pardoning her would “reopen the wounds of a painful tragedy” and set a dangerous precedent for future offenders.
Official Clarification
While the Presidency has not issued a formal statement, officials at the Federal Ministry of Justice confirmed that the pardon exercise “remains under administrative review” and that no convict has yet been released pending final approval.
“This is a sensitive process. Every name must go through security, legal, and moral scrutiny before the President’s final assent,” a senior ministry source said.
Public Reactions
Human-rights advocates have applauded the President’s decision to reconsider the list, describing it as a “responsible step toward maintaining public trust in the justice system.”
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However, some analysts argue that the episode exposes deeper flaws in Nigeria’s clemency framework — particularly the lack of transparency and clear eligibility criteria for pardon candidates.
What Lies Ahead
The Ministry of Justice is expected to submit a revised list to the President in the coming days, after which the final list of beneficiaries will be made public.
Until then, the removal of Maryam Sanda and others marks a significant shift in the administration’s handling of one of the most contentious pardon exercises in recent years.
