Nigeria TV Info 

Tinubu Revokes Presidential Pardon for Sanda, 140 High-Profile Inmates

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revoked the state pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda and 140 other high-profile inmates, citing irregularities and abuse of due process in the clemency exercise. The decision followed the outcome of a review committee established to scrutinise all pardons granted between 2020 and 2023.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Justice, the review uncovered cases where individuals convicted of severe offences, including murder, terrorism financing, and economic crimes, were unlawfully included in the presidential pardon list without proper recommendations from the Council of State.

Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, had been among those secretly listed for clemency under the previous administration. The reversal of her pardon effectively reinstates her original sentence pending further legal proceedings.

Government sources revealed that the decision forms part of President Tinubu’s renewed anti-corruption and justice reform agenda aimed at restoring public confidence in the Nigerian justice system. The President reportedly directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure that all wrongly released convicts are re-arrested and that the pardon process is subjected to stricter scrutiny moving forward.

The action has sparked mixed reactions among human rights advocates and political observers, with some applauding the move as a bold step toward accountability, while others question its timing and political undertones.