Broadcast journalist and social commentator, Oseni Rufai, has expressed shock and disapproval following the recent endorsement of Maryam Sanda’s presidential pardon by the biological father of her late husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
In a post shared via his X handle on Wednesday, Rufai questioned the moral and ethical implications of the father’s sudden public support for the clemency granted to Sanda, who was convicted for killing her husband in 2017.
“Isn’t it shocking that the biological father of the deceased Bello has come forward after a letter was written condemning the pardon given to Sanda? He then held a press conference where he endorsed the killing of his son by affirming the pardon. Where was he all this time?” Rufai wrote.
He further criticised the inconsistency of Nigeria’s justice system and societal attitudes toward high-profile criminal cases, stating, “Nigeria keeps happening! If the roles were reversed, would her family have accepted such a pardon?”
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Rufai’s comments come amid widespread outrage over President Bola Tinubu’s recent decision to grant presidential clemency to 175 convicts, including Maryam Sanda, who had been sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, the late Bilyaminu Bello, son of former PDP National Chairman, Haliru Bello.
The pardon, which the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and several human rights groups have also condemned, has sparked a national debate over justice, accountability, and the use of presidential powers in Nigeria.
While supporters of the decision argue that it demonstrates compassion and reform-minded leadership, critics insist it undermines the rule of law and justice for victims of violent crimes.
The controversy continues to fuel public discussion about fairness, influence, and morality within Nigeria’s justice system.