President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commuted the death sentence of Maryam Sanda—who was convicted in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello—to 12 years imprisonment, as part of a revised list of inmates granted clemency under the Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, 2025.
The presidency announced the decision in a statement on Wednesday, saying the move followed public criticism of an earlier clemency list.
According to the statement, the new list, dated October 21 and personally signed by the president, contains 86 names of inmates in various correctional facilities across the country whose sentences were either reduced or commuted in line with Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution
The document, titled Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence, 2025, includes offenders convicted of crimes such as homicide, drug trafficking, financial fraud, unlawful possession of firearms, and illegal mining.
Sanda’s sentence was reportedly reduced on compassionate grounds and in the best interest of her children, making her one of the most notable beneficiaries of the presidential gesture.
Other beneficiaries include Yusuf Owolabi and Ifeanyi Eze, both convicted of manslaughter, whose life sentences were reduced to 15 years each.
In the category of drug-related offences, Patrick Mensah, Obi Edwin Chukwu, and Tunde Balogun, convicted between 2015 and 2017, had their 15-year sentences reduced to 12 years.
Similarly, Mustapha Ahmed, convicted for criminal breach of trust, will now serve five years instead of seven, while Buka Adamu, convicted of advance fee fraud, had his 20-year term cut to nine.
Convicts serving jail terms for firearms-related offences, including Abubakar Mamman, Muhammed Bello Musa, and Nnamdi Anene, also benefited from reductions ranging between three and ten years.
The revised list also covers 45 inmates imprisoned for illegal mining in Oyo State in January 2024, whose three-year sentences were cut to two years for good conduct and rehabilitation efforts reportedly facilitated by Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis.
The presidency explained that the review became necessary to ensure fairness, transparency, and due process following concerns raised over the initial clemency list.
The approval was formalized through a government gazette titled S.I. No. 79 of 2025: Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy (Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence).
Under Section 175 of the Constitution, the president is empowered to grant pardons, commute sentences, or remit penalties, with or without conditions.