Following public backlash over a previous presidential pardon, President Bola Tinubu has revoked the pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, and commuted her sentence to 12 years in prison.
The updated decision was published in an official gazette released on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Sanda, who has already served six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre in Niger State, will now serve the remaining five years and four months of her sentence before being released.
The commutation was reportedly granted on compassionate grounds, reflecting a reconsideration of her punishment while ensuring accountability.
The updated presidential list also included over 80 other offenders whose jail terms were reduced, reflecting adjustments across various convictions.
Maryam Sanda’s revised sentence ends the controversy surrounding her initial pardon, which had sparked national debate on justice, clemency, and public safety.