Category: Daily Trust

The biological father of the late Bilyaminu Bello, who was murdered by his wife, Maryam Sanda, in 2017, has commended the pardon of his daughter-in-law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, he had been on a quiet quest to secure freedom for Maryam, who had been on death row since her sentencing for the murder of her husband.

Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, who made these revelations in a joint interview conducted on Tuesday in Abuja with Alhaji Garba Sanda, father of Maryam, stated that his motivation was purely humanitarian, and that he wanted his daughter-in-law released so she could look after her two young children, and that executing her would not bring back his son.

He explained that, ‘as a devout Muslim, I had long accepted the tragic incident which has been a subject of public discussion, choosing to forgive and leave judgment to Allah.

‘There is nothing more painful than for someone to lose a son in the way I lost my son, Bilyaminu. However, what gives me some measure of comfort is that he left behind two beautiful children, my granddaughter, Sa’adatu Bilyaminu, and my grandson, Bilyaminu Bilyaminu, named after his father.

‘I have forgiven Maryam who was found guilty of killing my son. Before the end of the trial, I made every effort to let both the Police and the Court know that I did not want her prosecuted, because I did not want a situation where my grandchildren, who had lost their father so tragically, would also lose their mother..

‘I have taken it as the will of Almighty Allah, what happened to my son, and I do not blame Maryam for it. However, now that she has been sentenced to death, I beg in the name of Almighty Allah for mercy. If she is killed, who will take care of her two children? They will grow up as orphans, without a father or a mother’s love,’ he said

Asked about the statement by the family who expressed concerns over the Presidential pardon, he said ‘Anyone has the freedom in his family to express himself but as the biological father, he has forgiven her,”

Also speaking, Alhaji Garba Sanda, father of Maryam, expressed deep gratitude to Alhaji Bello and his entire family for their rare act of compassion, describing it as ‘a true reflection of faith and forgiveness.’

He said: ‘Words cannot describe our appreciation to the Bello family for this gesture of mercy and reconciliation. We continue to pray that something positive may yet emerge from this regrettable tragedy, that our families may heal, and that these children will grow up knowing love from both sides of their family.’

The two families, stated that they have chosen forgiveness, compassion, and faith over pain, and have committed to working together to raise the children in an atmosphere of peace and love.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has once again sanctioned Kano Pillars FC, bringing the club’s total financial penalties to a staggering N46m over the past six years.

The latest punishment – a N9.5m fine following violent scenes during their Match Day 8 fixture against Shooting Stars FC on October 12, 2025 – has reignited debate over the club’s persistent disciplinary troubles.

In a Summary Jurisdiction Notice issued on October 13, 2025, the NPFL found Kano Pillars guilty of multiple breaches of league regulations after their supporters invaded restricted areas at the Sani Abacha Stadium, assaulting match officials and visiting players.

The league described the incident as ‘a grave breach of security and sportsmanship,’ emphasizing its commitment to curbing violence in Nigerian football. The latest sanctions include N1m for failure to provide adequate security, N1m for throwing dangerous objects onto the pitch, N1m for failure to control supporters’ conduct, and another N1m for misconduct bringing the game into disrepute. Additionally, the club faces N2m for assaults on players and officials, N2m in compensation for medical and treatment costs, and N1.5m as compensation to match officials.

Beyond the financial penalties, the NPFL also deducted three points and three goals from Kano Pillars’ league tally and closed the Sani Abacha Stadium indefinitely – or for at least ten home matches – relocating their home games to Katsina. The club has been ordered to identify and prosecute the culprits involved and submit a revised crowd-control and security framework within seven working days.This latest sanction adds to a long list of penalties stretching back to 2019, underscoring a troubling pattern of indiscipline. The club was fined N8m in 2019, N2.5m and N9m in early 2022, N2.25m in June 2022, N1m in October 2023, and a record N12m in January 2024. By October 2024, another N2m fine followed for fan-related misconduct.

The incident has reignited discussions around crowd control and stadium safety in Nigerian football, as the NPFL continues its efforts to enforce discipline and professional standards across all participating clubs.

The police on Monday arraigned one Stephen Obitade (55) before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan for allegedly grabbing church land.

Obitade, whose address was not provided, was charged with conspiracy, land grabbing, malicious damage, and stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp. Elisha Tellang, told the court that the suspect committed the offences sometime in 2021 along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan.

Tellang said that Obitade unlawfully grabbed about 12 acres of land belonging to the church of one Apostle Abiodun Joseph.

He added that Obitade and others at large maliciously damaged the land’s perime-ter fence and pillars worth N5 million, and stole building iron rods on the land worth N850,000.

Obitade, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Magistrate, Mrs. Moyo-sore Atanda, granted him bail in the sum of N1 million with two reliable sureties in like sum.

She then adjourned the case until Nov. 18 for hearing

A Kano State High Court No. 3, presided over by Justice Farouk Lawan, has sentenced Ahmed Muhammed to 14 years imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl.

The convict was first arrested in 2006 and subsequently arraigned before the court on charges of rape.

The prosecution counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Araf Garba, presented four witnesses during the trial.

When the charge was read, the defendant pleaded not guilty and testified as the sole defence witness.

After evaluating the evidence, Justice Lawan held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, finding Muhammed guilty as charged. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison without an option of fine.

The family of the late Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello has expressed disappointment over the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of her husband.

In a statement released on Monday, signed by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed (Dangaladiman Gwandu) on behalf of the family, the relatives of the deceased described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to grant Sanda clemency as a ‘cruel reopening of healing wounds’ and a grave injustice to the memory of their loved one.

Bilyaminu’s family said they are deeply hurt by Maryam’s release, describing it as an attempt to appease her family while disregarding the lasting anguish inflicted on the victim’s relatives, friends, and associates.

Sanda, 37, was among 175 convicted persons granted presidential pardon and clemency last Thursday under the Prerogative of Mercy powers.

The list, released by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, included individuals serving sentences for various crimes – from illegal mining and drug offences to capital offences such as murder.

On the list are illegal miners, white-collar convicts, drug offenders, foreigners, Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, as well as capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro Wiwa, and the other Ogoni eight.

The move followed the Council of State’s endorsement of recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Onanuga said the pardons were based on reports indicating that the convicts had shown remorse and good conduct.

The presidential pardon has sparked public outrage and renewed debate about the fairness and moral implications of Nigeria’s Prerogative of Mercy process.

Maryam Sanda’s conviction for the culpable homicide of her husband, whom she stabbed to death during a domestic dispute in their Abuja home, remains one of Nigeria’s most high-profile cases of domestic violence and spousal murder.

Sanda was arraigned before an FCT High Court, where she maintained her innocence throughout the trial.

After a protracted legal battle that drew nationwide attention, Justice Yusuf Halilu, in January 2020, found her guilty of killing her husband and sentenced her to death by hanging. She had spent six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.

‘Her release, worst injustice for any family’

Bilyaminu’s family said Sanda’s release represents ‘the worst possible injustice any family could be made to go through for a loved one,’ describing her as a ‘certified convicted murderer’ who had shown no remorse throughout her trial and appeals.

Out of respect for the two innocent children left behind, Bilyaminu’s family said they had chosen silence since the tragic incident of November 19, 2017, despite several false narratives allegedly sponsored by Sanda’s camp.

They stated that they had placed their faith in the judicial system, which upheld the FCT High Court’s death sentence through rulings by the Court of Appeal in December 2020 and the Supreme Court in October 2023.

The family noted that those judgments offered a measure of closure, even though Sanda never showed remorse.

However, they said the recent presidential pardon has painfully reopened old wounds, describing Sanda’s release as a grave injustice that makes the victim’s life seem insignificant.

The family also faulted the rationale behind the pardon, allegedly influenced by appeals from Sanda’s family, stressing that Bilyaminu was equally a beloved son, friend, and associate who was ‘grievously denied the opportunity to live and raise his children.’

They said they sought solace in divine justice, expressing faith that ‘ultimate justice resides with the Supreme Judge and Creator,’ and prayed for the repose of Bilyaminu’s soul and strength for his children and loved ones to bear the pain of his loss.

The full statement from Bilyaminu’s family.

When Prerogative of Mercy Inflicts Inexorable Pain

In exercise of his discretionary power and authority to grant clemency under the Prerogative of Mercy principle, His Excellency, Mr. President, recently granted Presidential pardons to a total of 175 convicted persons serving jail sentences for various criminal offences. Some of those on the list included individuals on death row, and others who were pardoned posthumously.

One name that stood out for us as a family is that of Maryam Sanda, a lady convicted and sentenced to death by the FCT High Court on Monday, 27th January 2020, for the premeditated and cold-blooded murder of her husband and beloved family member of ours, the late Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello.

Considering the delicately sensitive nature of the situation involving two innocent children of the deceased victim, the family has deliberately refrained from making any public statement or comments since the unfortunate, sad incident, which occurred on that fateful night of Sunday, 19th November 2017. This was despite several sponsored write-ups from the accused perpetrator’s camp containing series of falsehoods against the deceased, without factoring the children’s best interest. We, instead, placed our trust and abiding confidence in the nation’s judicial process to run its full course and deliver justice for the deceased victim and his family.

The appeals process reaffirmed the FCT High Court’s death sentence through the Federal Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judgements of Friday, 4th December 2020, and Friday, 27th October 2023, respectively. Satisfied that justice had finally been served, the judgment provided some closure of sorts in the circumstance, if ever there could be one. Although the perpetrator had shown no remorse even for a fleeting moment throughout the saga, the grieving family took solace in the judgements and moved on, having painfully come to terms with the fate that life had thrust upon one of our own.

This latest turn of events, coming just a few years after the dastardly crime that cruelly cut short Bilyaminu’s life has, however, expectedly reopened our healing wounds. To have Maryam Sanda walk the face of the earth again, free from any blemish for her heinous crime as if she had merely squashed an ant, is the worst possible injustice any family could be made to go through for a loved one.

We are, therefore, compelled to issue this formal statement to humanise Bilyaminu, who is now suddenly being made to appear as if he is just another faceless anonymous individual in the long line of victims of crimes in the country: a mere statistical figure.

The alleged grounds for Maryam Sanda’s release were predicated on appeals from her family, amongst other considerations. It is pertinent to stress that Bilyaminu was also our cherished family member who was profoundly loved and deeply mourned by his teeming relations, friends and close associates following the unfortunate incident that resulted in his gruesome murder eight years ago. Maryam, let’s not forget, had earlier on denied the same children now used to elicit sympathy and secure her release, the opportunity to know what a father’s love and care means.

Bilyaminu’s family is deeply hurt by this latest development, which we interpret as primarily driven by the sole motivation for appeasing Maryam’s family members by way of extending mercy to a certified convicted murderer, while at the same time overlooking or conveniently ignoring the corresponding inexorable pain that has now been inflicted on the victim’s teeming grieving family members, friends and associates arising from the action.

We take solace in the simple fact that in such matters, the ultimate comprehensive justice resides purely with the Supreme Judge and our Creator, who will dispense this matter on the Day of Recompense where no one can be at liberty to intercede on behalf of anyone else.

We beseech Almighty Allah SWT to grant the soul of our dear Bilyaminu eternal rest and grant us the fortitude to continue to bear his sad loss even in the light of this latest development. May Allah also be there at every turn of his children’s needs and raise them to be good obedient Muslims and patriotic Nigerians, Ameen.

Lawyers react

Two lawyers have expressed differing opinions on the presidential pardon granted. Ebuka Nwaeze, Esq., stated that the power of pardon lies solely within the discretion of the president or a state governor, depending on the case, and does not legally require the consent or input of the victim of the offence.

‘The moral consequences of how the president exercises that power are for the voting public to decide,’ he said.

However, E.M.D. Umukoro, Esq. argued that while the law does not explicitly mandate consultation with victims before granting a pardon, those exercising such powers should consider the victims’ interests and feelings.

‘The framers of the law expected the exercise of discretionary powers to be guided by purpose, sincerity, impartiality, justice, and truth, ensuring that victims are neither humiliated nor disregarded,’ he said.

Umukoro further stressed that the president should have provided justification for the clemency, such as new evidence or errors in the original trial, to show that the pardon was not arbitrary.

‘It is important for the victims of these crimes that certain explanations are given; otherwise, it could be seen as a miscarriage of justice, a charade, and a disregard for the rule of law,’ he added.

No release date yet – NCoS

Meanwhile, speaking to Daily Trust, the spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Umar Abubakar, said the service was yet to receive the list of inmates to be released.

‘It was a presidential pronouncement, but we have not received the official communication yet,’ he said, adding that ‘sometimes, it takes time.’

He, however, promised to our reporter when his office officially receives the list.

However, a source who spoke with Daily Trust last night stated the procedure for release of beneficiaries of such pardon. He said following the pronouncement, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation will write to the Minister of Interior, who will thereafter give a directive to the Controller-General of Corrections on the issue.

He said the Controller-General of Corrections will then disseminate information across custodial centres in the country, directing them to check and take action. The source confirmed that this has not yet been done.

Lance Corporal Akenleye Femi, a serving soldier at the 221 Battalion, Wawa Can-tonment, Borgu LGA of Niger State, has reportedly committed suicide after alleg-edly killing his wife.

The Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin, Captain Stephen Nwankwo, confirmed the incident in a statement, noting it happened on October 11, 2025.

He said the tragedy caused a tense atmosphere, leaving barracks residents in shock as to the circumstances that could have led to such an incident.

The statement read: ‘The 22 Armoured Brigade, Nigerian Army (NA), is aware of the news in respect of its personnel, Lance Corporal Akenleye Femi, serving at 221 Battalion, Wawa Cantonment who is suspected to have killed his wife and com-mitted suicide. The tragic incident, which occurred on 11 October 2025 at Wawa Cantonment, Niger State, has caused a tensed atmosphere, leaving the barracks residents in shock as to the circumstances that could have led to such unfortunate incident.

‘Lance Corporal Femi and his wife were suddenly found dead in their apartment at Block 15, Room 24, Corporals and Below Quarters, Wawa Cantonment. Prelimi-nary investigation revealed that the soldier was on duty within the Cantonment, and had sought permission from his superior to attend to personal needs and re-turn to duty. This followed the discovery of the dead bodies lying in their apart-ment,’ he said.

Captain Nwankwo said the remains of the deceased have been preserved, and an in-depth investigation has commenced to ascertain the circumstances surround-ing the tragic incident.

‘The NA deeply regrets this, while it commiserates with the family, colleagues, and friends of the deceased over the painful loss. The army also prays for the peaceful repose of their souls.

‘The Commander 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, assures the general public that the circumstances that led to the sad incident will be thor-oughly investigated, and the outcome relayed to the general public accordingly.

‘The NA anticipates maximum understanding and cooperation of the public as al-ways, assuring that the outcome of the investigation will not only be made public, but will be further scrutinised, and measures put in place to avoid future occur-rences,’ he added.

Former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs and erstwhile Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, has announced the passing of his mother, Mama Keketobou Jane Kuku (née Gbamila).

According to a family statement, Mama Kuku passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning at the age of 90.

Described as a woman of remarkable grace, kindness, and wisdom, Mama Kuku was deeply respected within her community for her commitment to family, faith, and service to others. She was known for her generosity and nurturing spirit, which earned her the affection of both relatives and neighbours.

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The family said her life was defined by humility, hard work, and an enduring belief in the value of education and moral upbringing.

The family noted that details of her funeral arrangements will be made public in due course.

Mama Kuku is survived by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many other relatives who continue to celebrate her legacy of love and integrity.

Last week, the World Bank put out its assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and its impact on the people of Nigeria. The sum total of it was that 139 million Nigerians have been impoverished as a result and the outlook is that many more will fall below the poverty line in the coming months. In making the assessment the World Bank Country Director, Mathew Verghis, while praising the efforts of the Tinubu in achieving stabilization, stated that ‘despite these stabilization gains, many Nigerians are still struggling. Most households are struggling with eroded purchasing power. In 2025 we estimate that 139 million Nigerians live in poverty.”

The World Bank report comes just after President Tinubu in his Independence Day address to the nation engaged in his usual self-praise despite the contrast to the existing realities in the country. ”I am pleased to report that we have finally turned the corner”, he crowed. ‘The worst is over. Yesterday’s pains are giving way to relief,” he stated to the obvious disbelief of the very Nigerians he was addressing.

So why has the World Bank given what amounts to a thumbs down to President Tinubu’s economic policies and its negative impact on Nigeria, a few days after the president claimed rather unconvincingly that things are improving? What is the World Bank trying to tell us about President Tinubu’s economic policies which many may not know and which the president’s spin doctors have been trying to airbrush with contrived terms and phrases?

In this analysis, for the purpose of clarity and better understanding, I will provide simple and straightforward explanations on the crisis and contradictions inherent in President Tinubu’s economic policies which the World Bank’s latest report on Nigeria sought to point out to us.

The cornerstone of Tinubu’s economic policies is that taxation spur the country’s growth and development. Such assumption may have been relevant when the president was governor of Lagos State because relatively the Lagos economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) powered by high levels of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is huge and uniformly concentrated in one contiguous enclave. This is similar to what obtains in relatively small countries like Scandinavian nations where taxes drive the distribution of resources and services.

But in a larger Nigerian context that is at the lowest rung of development index on an aggregate level, the recourse to fiscal measures to run the economy will surely lead to negative consequences. This is what the World Bank is trying to tell us. Essentially what the multilateral institution is saying is ”Yes Mr President, your chosen policy as conceived and implemented by you is working from the point of view of raising record revenues. But it is being done at the cost of impoverishment of more and more Nigerians who are having the living daylights squeezed out of them.”

Moreover, what the World Bank implied but left unsaid is that the revenues generated from this massive and unreasonable tax drive on Nigerians has not been spent on industrial development and production to grow the economy. Instead, the huge revenues generated by the tax drive has been spent on frivolities like luxury expenditures of the administration at the local, state and federal levels. And the Nigerian people who are the bearers of this heavy tax burden suffer a double whammy of taxation and lack of investment in services, employment and general economic growth and development.

Ignore the abstract economic figures contrived to present a picture of economic progress reeled out by the administration’s personalities and its tribe of influencers; the World Bank and many who are able to see through this elaborately packaged façade know that President Tinubu’s economic policies are out of sync with the realities on ground and can never bring about the desired pathway for Nigeria’s economic development.

Let us measure how president Tinubu’s economic policies measure up against economic thinking and application.

Two main streams of economic thinking and application run in the world; Supply-side economics which focuses on removing totally or scaling down the taxes applied on the highest taxable concerns and individuals to spur supply and growth and the demand-side economics which government intervenes to create aggregate demand from taxation, employment and investment.

Under the Tinubu economic policy model, none of these two applies. Tinubu’s economic policies certainly does not go in tandem with the supply-siders because it is based on massive taxation which serves as a disincentive to concerns and people with the capacity to invest in manufacturing and production. Thus, faced with the heavy burden of taxes, they cannot invest in new ventures and are looking instead to scale down or totally scrap what they have. And because they cannot invest and produce, the effect is redundancies and unemployment.

We could say that Tinubu’s policies lean towards the demand-siders in his fiscal thrust. But unlike in countries where taxation leads to creating and sustaining efficient and reliable service provision, investment and employment, the thrust of Tinubu’s policies does not and cannot lead to investment in industrial production and provision of services.

So, what in essence is Tinubu’s policies?

It is a mongrel economic model of tax and spend, raising revenues through a massive ”smash and grab” hoovering of the Nigerian people to fund the luxuriant living of dubiously entitled living of the privileged few. The Tinubu economic model belongs in the age of colonial subjugation where a colonizing power subjects its colony to various forms of taxation to fund their subjugation thereby impoverishing the people the most.

What the World Bank is telling Nigerians in coded reference is that the Tinubu model is not designed to encourage investment in industrial production and public works infrastructure as happened in many countries. The fiscal policies of the administration are instead designed to tax Nigerians and transfer the revenues so raised to support the entitled living of a privileged few. And because it is a model that leads and feeds luxuries and consumption, the government has to resort to more taxation and seeking for loans to continuously feed the habit like an addiction. The taxes will impoverish Nigerians now and the loans will commit our future and that of generations to come with a massive repayment burden that will cripple our future development as a nation.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) has entered into a strategic partnership with Bumpa, a prominent digital platform, to empower 200 youth-owned Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Nigeria in this pilot phase.

This collaboration, implemented under the Youth and Skills Thematic Area of the Bank, according to the bank aims to address the critical challenge of market access for young entrepreneurs by equipping them with the tools and training needed to manage their operations efficiently and boost productivity.

In a statement, the bank said the initiative also seeks to drive innovation and enable these businesses to reach a broader customer base.

With many MSMEs in Nigeria still relying on manual record-keeping and offline selling methods, which limit their ability to scale and access credit, BOI stated that the partnership will solve the problem by enabling youth-owned businesses to digitise their operations, manage sales and inventory, and connect with more customers, all through their mobile phones.’In recognition of the critical role of MSMEs in job creation, the Bank will be sponsoring a six-month free subscription to Bumpa’s suite of business management tools for selected participants. These tools will support the digitisation of operations, enhance sales performance, and drive sustainable growth for MSMEs,’ it said.

Key features include: the ability to create and manage an online store, receive digital payments, track inventory, and gain insights through detailed business analytics.

The platform also facilitates multi-channel integration, customer engagement via bulk SMS and emails, and provides multiple payment options with multi-currency support for cross-border sales. These features are designed to streamline operations and significantly improve business performance.

‘By equipping youth entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to succeed in the digital economy, the partnership aims to foster entrepreneurial development , expand access to financial literacy, and promote inclusive economic growth,’ the statement said.

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State was at the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, to witness the defection of three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Kaduna lawmakers whose defections were announced by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during plenary include Abdulkarim Hussain Mohammed, Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi and Sadiq Ango Abdullahi.

Uba Sani alongside members of the entourage was ushered into the chamber after the House suspended its rule to allow him witness the session.

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Speaker Abbas announced to the House that the governor was in the chamber to witness the defections of the PDP lawmakers. The lawmakers, according to their separate letters read by the Speaker, hinged their decisions on the lingering crisis within the PDP.

Shortly after the announcement of their defections, the governor led the decampees to the Speaker for handshake and group photographs shortly after which he and his entourage took their leave.

Meanwhile, the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, has kicked against the defections, urging the Speaker to declare their seats vacant in line with Section 68 (1g) of the 1999 Constitution.