Nigerian Correctional Service reacts to report of alleged release of Maryam Sanda

The Nigerian Correctional Service on Thursday dismissed reports that Maryam Sanda, the woman who was sentenced to death for killing her husband, had been granted presidential pardon and released from prison.

Sanda was sentenced to death by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on January 27 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

The deceased, the son of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, was stabbed to death by his wife during an argument at their Abuja home in November 2017.

The woman has since approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja and asked the court to set aside the verdict and acquit her.

Reports had said Sanda was among the 2,600 inmates granted a pardon by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

However, the NCoS in a statement issued by its spokesman, Augustine Njoku, dismissed the report as fake.

The statement read: “The Service wants to categorically state that the news is fake and very unrealistic and an attempt to rubbish the good intention of the President towards decongesting the custodial centre.

According to the NCoS spokesman, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, clearly stated the categories of inmates qualified for the amnesty include:

• Convicts who are 60 years and above

• Convicts serving three years and above with less than six months to serve

• Inmates with ill-health likely to terminate in death

• Inmates with mental ill-health

• Inmates with an option of fine not exceeding N50,000 with no pending case

• Convicted pregnant women

• Convicted women with child

• Convicted inmates with minor offences

• Convicted inmates who spent 75 percent of their sentence after remission.”

”It obvious that Maryam Sanda does not meet any of the above-mentioned requirements and therefore did not benefit from the presidential Pardon/Clemency.

“We further want to assure the public that Maryam Sanda is in our custody and will remain as such.

“The Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Services, Ja’afaru Ahmed wishes to assure the public that the Service will ensure the safety and humane containment of the inmates in our custody and therefore advised the public to discountenance the rumor that Maryam Sanda benefited from the presidential pardon,” the statement added.

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