Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, father of the late Bilyaminu Bello, who was murdered by his wife, Maryam Sanda, in 2017, has revealed that he personally appealed to both former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant her pardon.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja on Tuesday alongside Alhaji Garba Sanda, Maryam’s father, Alhaji Bello said he had long forgiven his daughter-in-law and made several appeals over the years to secure her release from death row.
The businessman explained that his efforts stemmed purely from humanitarian grounds and a deep sense of faith, stressing that executing Maryam would not restore his son’s life.
‘As a devout Muslim, I accepted my son’s death as the will of Allah. Vengeance cannot bring him back, but forgiveness can bring peace to our families,’ he said.
According to him, his first formal plea for clemency was made in January 2019, when he wrote to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, expressing forgiveness and requesting the withdrawal of charges ‘so that my son’s soul could rest in peace.’
He later reaffirmed this position through an affidavit sworn at the FCT High Court in June 2019.
Alhaji Bello also disclosed that he wrote to the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in 2019, and more recently, in December 2024, submitted a fresh appeal to President Tinubu titled ‘Request for Exercise of Prerogative of Mercy for My Daughter-in-Law, Maryam Sanda Sentenced to Death by Hanging.’
In the letter, he wrote: ‘There is nothing more painful than losing a son. But I have forgiven Maryam. If she is executed, who will take care of her two children? They should not suffer the loss of both parents.’
Alhaji Bello described the President’s eventual approval of Sanda’s pardon under the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy as an answered prayer and a relief for the families involved.
He noted that since her 2020 conviction, Maryam’s two children had only been allowed brief visits to see their mother at the Suleja Correctional Centre, a situation he described as heartbreaking.
Responding to reports of disagreement within the family over his forgiveness, he said, ‘People will always have different opinions. But as a father and a Muslim, I believe forgiveness is the path to peace.’
On his part, Alhaji Garba Sanda, Maryam’s father, expressed deep gratitude to the Bello family for their compassion and rare magnanimity.
‘This is a true act of faith and reconciliation. We pray that the families continue to heal and that the children grow up surrounded by love,’ he said.
Both families have since pledged to work together to raise the two children in an environment of peace, unity, and mutual respect, turning a story of tragedy into one of forgiveness and hope.