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President Tinubu has revoked the presidential pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda after strong public backlash.
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The decision reduces her sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment,
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The move has sparked renewed conversations about justice, presidential pardon, and accountability.
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The presidency said the revised sentence was based on compassionate grounds, not political pressure.
President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the presidential pardon previously granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
The decision came after Nigerians heavily criticised the pardon, arguing that granting clemency to someone convicted of such a serious offence undermines public trust in the justice system.
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The reversal was disclosed in an official gazette signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and made public on Wednesday.
According to the document, although the pardon has been cancelled, Sanda will no longer face the death penalty. Her sentence has now been reviewed to twelve years imprisonment, a decision the presidency said was reached on compassionate grounds.
The gazette also revealed that Sanda has already spent six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.
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Maryam Sanda was convicted after the court found her guilty of fatally stabbing her husband, the late Bilyaminu Bello, during a marital dispute. The case sparked nationwide attention, becoming a reference point in conversations about domestic violence, justice, and accountability in high-profile cases.
The revocation of her pardon has now revived the debate on how presidential powers should be used, with many arguing that justice must remain consistent regardless of social class, influence, or connections.
