Is justice finally taking a new turn in one of Nigeria’s most controversial murder cases? The federal government has officially reduced the death sentence of Maryam Sanda — the woman convicted for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in 2017 — to a 12-year jail term. The decision was contained in the latest “reduced terms of imprisonment” and “sentence list” released on Wednesday by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
According to details obtained by Jocomms, Sanda’s name appeared among inmates whose sentences were reviewed under the federal government’s prerogative of mercy and judicial reforms aimed at addressing concerns over prolonged death row cases. Her conviction had sparked nationwide debate on gender, justice, and domestic violence when the FCT High Court initially handed her the death penalty in 2020.
The latest adjustment comes amid President Bola Tinubu’s directive to exclude persons convicted of violent and serious crimes such as kidnapping and trafficking from national pardon lists. Legal observers say the move to commute Sanda’s sentence reflects a broader reassessment of Nigeria’s capital punishment policy. As public reactions continue to pour in, many are left wondering—does this reduction serve justice or reopen old wounds? Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
