Nigerians have expressed outrage on social media following news that Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, has been granted a presidential pardon by President Bola Tinubu.
Sanda, who had spent years in prison, was among 175 inmates whose sentences were either commuted or pardoned on Friday, October 11, 2025, according to a statement from the Presidency.
The clemency, the statement noted, followed recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which cited Sanda’s “good conduct, remorse, and responsibility as a mother of two young children” as key factors behind her consideration for pardon.
LEADERSHIP reports that Maryam Sanda was convicted for stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, son of a former PDP national chairman and erstwhile Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr Mohammed Halliru Bello, to death during a domestic dispute at their Maitama home in Abuja on November 19, 2017.
The case drew widespread public attention after photos of the couple circulated online, sparking national debate on domestic violence and justice.
In January 2020, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court found Maryam guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced her to death by hanging. She was later moved to the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre in Niger State, where she remained until her release under the presidential clemency programme.
However, the decision to pardon her has triggered strong backlash across social media platforms, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where many Nigerians accused the government of selective justice.
User @arojinle1 wrote, “Yorùbá is just all round. I saw the Maryam Sanda news and just one Yorùbá statement came to mind: ‘The one who dies is the ultimate loser. Don’t let them kill you o.’”
Another user, @jollz, expressed disbelief, saying, “That Maryam Sanda pardon really drives home when Nigerians say ‘na who die, lose’. Kai.”
Criticising the decision, @basquiatshow tweeted, “They say it’s for the kids, but a case of premeditated murder should never have been considered for pardon. The Lateef Fagbemi and @NGRPresident missed on this one. It’s pure injustice.”
In a similar tone, @HiikyaaTor compared Sanda’s clemency to other controversial convictions, “Mr Sunday Jackson is sentenced to death for defending himself, yet Maryam Sanda, who stabbed her husband multiple times, gets clemency. What a country!”
Another commentator, @Wasppaping_, summed up the frustration, writing, “Maryam Sanda has been pardoned by President Tinubu. In this country, please don’t let anyone kill you. They will walk free.”
On Facebook, a user, Muhammad Hashim wrote, “She is also free. I think next is for her to contest election as a lawmaker so that she’d be making laws for you and me.”
Another user, Muhammed S. Halima wrote, “Naija my country, things like this don’t come as a surprise anymore. Allah ya kyauta.”
Sadiya Abubakar Sadiq wrote, “Hmmm Nigeria is truly one weird country. He didn’t see chicken thieves to pardon oh…. it’s drug dealers and killers he saw to push back to into the society. If tomorrow killing husbands become a very rampant trend they’ll act surprised.”
