President Tinubu Bows To Pressure, Commutes Maryam Sanda’s Death Penalty To 12 Years’ Imprisonment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu finally bowed to pressure on Wednesday by commuting Maryam Sanda’s death penalty to 12 years’ imprisonment.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu had a few days ago wielded the clemency power and approved the release of 175 people serving jail sentences across the country including Maryam Sanda.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the new decision was contained in an official gazette released by the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.

Recall also that Maryam Sanda stabbed her husband, Bilyaminu Bello to death at their Abuja residence on November 19, 2017.

She was convicted of murder by the FCT High Court on January 27, 2020, while the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court upheld the verdict on December 4, 2020, and October 27, 2023, respectively.

Mr Bayo Onanuga noted on Wednesday that President Tinubu has exercised his constitutional powers of prerogative of mercy as captured under Section 175(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He added that the new list and new decisions was sequel to consultations with the Council of State and a gauge of public opinion.

 The president, the statement added, has also ordered the removal of the names of individuals convicted of severe crimes, including kidnapping, drug offenses, human trafficking, fraud, and illegal firearms possession or trafficking, from the list of beneficiaries earlier released by the presidency.

The final list which was dated October 21, 2025, and was personally signed by the president, contains 86 names of inmates at different correctional facilities in the country, whose sentences have been reduced or commuted under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The document titled ‘Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence, 2025 had the following as beneficiaries of the clemency.

Homicide and Manslaughter Cases

Yusuf Owolabi (36) – Convicted of manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri. Now to serve 15 years based on ‘educational improvement, remorsefulness and acquisition of vocational skills’.

Ifeanyi Eze (33) – Life sentence for manslaughter (2021), now to serve 15 years.

Maryam Sanda (37) – Convicted for culpable homicide (2020) and sentenced to death by hanging. Her sentence commuted to 12 years based on ‘compassionate grounds, the best interest of her children, good conduct and remorsefulness’.

Markus Yusuf (41) – Culpable homicide (2023), 13-year sentence reduced to 8 years due to ill health.

Alhaji Abubakar Tanko (61) – Culpable homicide (2018), 30-year term reduced to 20 years.

Drug and Narcotics Offences

Patrick Mensah (40) – Drugs (2015), 17 years reduced to 13 years.
Obi Edwin Chukwu (43), Tunde Balogun (32), Lima Pereira Erick Diego (27), Uchegbu Emeka Michael (37), Salawu Adebayo Samsudeen (46), and Napolo (61) were all convicted for drug trafficking between 2015 and 2017.

Sentences of 15 years reduced to 12 years each based on ‘remorsefulness and vocational skill acquisition’.

Dias Santos Marela Christiana (44) – Convicted of importing cocaine in 2017; 15-year term reduced to 12 years for ‘remorsefulness and deportation’.
Isaac Justina (40), Aishat Kehinde (38), Helen Solomon (68), Okoye Tochukwu (43), and Ugwuze Paul (38) – Convicted of cannabis-related offences, all granted reduced terms of between 3 and 7 years.

Financial and Fraud-related Offences

Mustapha Ahmed (46) – Criminal breach of trust; 7-year sentence cut to 5 years.
Innocent Brown Idiong (60) – Possession of Indian hemp; 10-year term reduced to 6 years.
Inibong Imayen Nuikidem (46) – Obtaining money by false pretence; 7 years cut to 5 years.
Buka Adamu (40) – Advance fee fraud; 20 years reduced to 9 years.
Ada Audu (72) – Fraud; 7-year mandatory imprisonment cut to 4 years.

Chief Jonathan Alatoru (66), Umannah Ekatte (70), Utom Thompson Udoaka (60) – Granted reduced terms for age, remorsefulness and good conduct.

Firearms and Related Offences

Abubakar Mamman (38) – Possession of AK-47 rifle (2020); 10-year sentence cut to 7 years.
Muhammed Bello Musa (35) – Possession of firearms; 10 years reduced to 7 years.

Nnamdi Anene (67) – Illegal dealing in firearms; life sentence commuted to 20 years.
Alhaji Ibrahim Hameed (71) – Illegal property possession; 7 years reduced to 5 years.

Maritime and Conspiracy Offences

Bright Agbedeyi (46), Babangida Saliu (35), Jude Saka Ebaragha (44), Frank Insort Abaka (46), Sluna Alolo (42), David Akinseye (39), Ahmed Toyin (46), Shobajo Saheed (57), Adamole Philip (52), and Mathew Masi (39) were all convicted for conspiracy to hijack fishing vessels in 2020. Their 12-year sentences were reduced to eight years with N1m fines waived ‘based on remorsefulness and impecuniosity’.

Unlawful Mining Offenders

A total of at least 45 inmates across the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Agodi, Oyo State, were convicted in January 2024 for unlawful mining.

Each was sentenced to three years, now reduced to two years, ‘based on remorsefulness, good conduct and a letter of undertaking dated April 22, 2025’  reportedly facilitated by Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis for their rehabilitation and empowerment after release.

The list includes:
Yusuf Alhassan, Abdullahi Isah, Zayanu Bello, Habeeb Suleman, Jubria Sahabi, Shefiu Umar, Seidu Abubakar, Haruna Abubakar, Rabiu Seidu, Macha Kuru, Zahradeen Aminu, Nazipi Musa, Abdullahi Musa, Habibu Safiu, Husseni Sani, Musa Lawali, Suleiman Lawale, Yusuf Iliyasu, Sabiyu Aliyu, Halliru Sani, Shittu Aliyu, Sanusi Aminu, Isaaka Adamu, Mamman Ibrahim, Shaibu Abdullahi, Sanusi Adamu, Sadi Musa, and Haruna Isah, among others.

Presidential Approval and Legal Backing

The document cites Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the President to ‘grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence in Nigeria a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions’

It was formally titled: ‘S.I. No. 79 of 2025: Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy (Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence)’ –Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you