The biological father of the late Bilyaminu Bello, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, has revealed that he personally appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant a presidential pardon to his daughter-in-law, Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband in 2017.
Isa, who spoke in Abuja alongside Maryam’s father, Alhaji Garba Sanda, described the clemency as a welcome relief, saying his quest to secure Maryam’s freedom was purely humanitarian and rooted in forgiveness and faith.
According to him, executing Maryam would not bring back his late son, but sparing her life would ensure their two children, Sa’adatu and Bilyaminu (named after his father), were not left completely orphaned.
“As a devout Muslim, I have long accepted the tragic incident and chosen to forgive Maryam. Nothing can be more painful than losing a son in that manner, but I have decided to leave judgment to Allah,” Isa said.
“Before the end of the trial, I informed both the Police and the Court that I did not want her prosecuted because I did not want my grandchildren, who had already lost their father, to also lose their mother,” he added.
The elder Bello, who expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the pardon, said he hoped the gesture would promote reconciliation and healing between both families.
“I have taken what happened as the will of Almighty Allah. I do not blame Maryam for it. My prayer was for mercy — not vengeance,” he said.
Responding to questions on reports that some family members were unhappy about the presidential pardon, Isa said every individual had the right to express their opinion but insisted that, as the biological father of the deceased, he had chosen forgiveness.
“Anyone in the family is free to express their feelings, but as the father of the late Bilyaminu, I have forgiven her,” he stated firmly.
On his part, Alhaji Garba Sanda, father of Maryam, expressed deep appreciation to the Bello family for what he called an “extraordinary act of compassion and faith.”
“Words cannot describe our gratitude to the Bello family. Their gesture is a testament to true forgiveness and belief in Allah’s mercy. We pray that this painful chapter will lead to peace and that both families will heal,” he said.
Both families reaffirmed their decision to unite in raising the two children of the late Bilyaminu and Maryam in an atmosphere of love and mutual understanding.
Maryam Sanda was convicted by a High Court in Abuja in 2020 for killing her husband, the son of a former PDP chairman, during a domestic dispute.
Her death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment before the recent presidential pardon granted by President Tinubu.
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