Bilyaminu Bello’s family condemns presidential pardon for Maryam Sanda

The family of the late Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello has strongly criticised the presidential pardon recently granted to Maryam Sanda, describing it as a painful betrayal of justice and a reopening of old wounds.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Dr. Bello Haliu Mohammed (OFR), Dangaladiman Gwandu, on behalf of the family, they expressed “deep disappointment” over the clemency extended to Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her husband.

The family said they had chosen to remain silent for years out of respect for due process and concern for the couple’s two children, but the latest development compelled them to speak out.

Sanda was convicted by the Federal Capital Territory High Court on January 27, 2020, for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, on November 19, 2017.

Her conviction and death sentence were subsequently upheld by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

According to the family, they had accepted the court’s rulings as justice duly served and had been trying to move on from the tragedy until news broke that Sanda was among 175 inmates recently granted presidential pardon under the Prerogative of Mercy.

“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,” the statement read.

They alleged that the clemency appeared to have been influenced by appeals from Sanda’s family, while completely disregarding the suffering of the victim’s relatives and friends.

The family emphasised that Bilyaminu was not just another victim of crime but “a cherished son, brother, and father whose death left an unfillable void.”

They further lamented that Sanda had “shown no remorse” throughout her trial, warning that her release undermines public confidence in the rule of law.

“We interpret this pardon as an attempt to appease one family at the expense of another’s unending pain,” the statement continued.

Concluding, the family prayed for the repose of Bilyaminu Bello’s soul and for divine protection and guidance for his children, reaffirming their faith that ultimate justice rests with God.