President Bola Tinubu has intervened in a high-profile legal case, commuting the death sentence of Maryam Sanda to 12 years’ imprisonment. Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for the culpable homicide of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in their Abuja home in 2017, had initially been sentenced to death by hanging. According to premium times, tthe decision officially announced by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, was made on compassionate grounds, citing Sanda's good conduct as a “model prisoner” and taking into consideration the welfare of her children.

Having already served approximately seven years at the Nigerian Correctional Service (Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre), Sanda is now expected to serve roughly five more years of the commuted sentence. Her case, which stemmed from a domestic dispute that escalated into her husband’s stabbing, has consistently drawn nationwide attention as one of Nigeria's most prominent instances of domestic violence and spousal murder. The commutation follows a period of intense public scrutiny surrounding a broader clemency initiative. Sanda’s name had initially appeared on a list of convicts recommended for clemency to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary in October, but that initial inclusion sparked considerable public backlash. In response, the presidency clarified that her case was still under review, not definitively approved. President Tinubu subsequently ordered a thorough re-evaluation of the original list of 175 convicts recommended by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.

Through the review process, the clemency list was significantly pared back to 34 names. Individuals convicted of serious offences such as kidnapping, drug-related crimes, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms were explicitly removed from the updated list. Moreover, President Tinubu has implemented new directives for future exercises of presidential clemency. He mandated that all subsequent recommendations must involve comprehensive consultation with prosecuting agencies. In addition, the secretariat of the advisory committee will be relocated from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Ministry of Justice, streamlining oversight. President Tinubu expressed gratitude for public feedback and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ongoing judicial reform and the overall strengthening of Nigeria’s justice system.