President Bola Tinubu has removed the name of Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, from the presidential pardon list.
The decision was made known on Wednesday through a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the President ordered the removal of persons convicted of serious crimes such as murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, fraud, human trafficking, and illegal possession or trade of firearms from the list of those to be pardoned.
The new directive also stated that individuals who had been pardoned earlier would now have their sentences reduced rather than completely waived.
Maryam Sanda was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging by a Federal Capital Territory High Court in 2020 after being found guilty of killing her husband during a domestic dispute.
The updated pardon list reflects President Tinubu’s move to ensure that persons involved in violent or grave criminal cases do not benefit from the federal clemency process.