The family of the late Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello has expressed deep outrage over the recent presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted of his murder. In a strongly worded statement, the family described the decision as a grave injustice that has reopened painful wounds and undermined the entire judicial process.
Maryam Sanda was convicted for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in 2020 after he was stabbed to death on November 19, 2017. The case attracted widespread public interest due to the high-profile nature of both families involved and the gruesome details surrounding the killing.
Sanda’s death sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal in December 2020 and subsequently affirmed by the Supreme Court on October 27, 2023 — finalising all legal channels and providing what the victim’s family described as “some closure.”
However, the recent decision by the Federal Government to include Maryam Sanda in a list of 175 convicts granted presidential pardon has sparked public debate and drawn sharp criticism from the Bello family.
The statement, signed by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed (OFR) on behalf of the family, said the action amounts to the “worst possible injustice” and accused the authorities of disregarding the pain of the victim’s loved ones.
“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 family stated.
The family said it had deliberately chosen silence over the years, allowing the law to take its full course. According to the statement, the judicial system—from the trial court to the apex court—was thorough in its findings, leaving no doubt about Sanda’s guilt.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling had provided us some closure, having gone through the legal system without interference. But now, all that effort and pain appear wasted with this pardon,” the family lamented.
They argued that granting clemency after such a rigorous legal process is not only a slap in the face of justice but also a signal that convictions, no matter how serious, can be overturned outside the court system.
The family also criticized one of the key reasons cited for the pardon — the welfare of the couple’s two children.
“Maryam, let’s not forget, had earlier on 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 said.
They further claimed that the pardon seems more like a favour to Sanda’s influential family than a reflection of justice or compassion.
“We are convinced that this pardon is primarily driven by the sole motivation for appeasing Maryam’s family members, while at the same time ignoring the inexorable pain that has now been inflicted on the victim’s teeming grieving family members.”
The family questioned the larger implication of the decision, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent where convicted killers could find hope in political connections or public sentiment, rather than the rule of law.
“What message does this send to other victims’ families who are still seeking justice? That the legal system can be overturned by executive action at any time?” they asked.
Despite their anger, the family expressed faith in divine justice.
“While we remain dismayed and broken by this pardon, we take solace in the fact that the ultimate justice lies in the hands of the Supreme Judge, our Creator.”
Maryam Sanda’s release has triggered debate across Nigeria, especially on social media, with many questioning the criteria used in the presidential pardon process and how justice is served in cases involving the elite.
