“I Am Happy”: Father of Murdered Bilyaminu Bello Hails Tinubu’s Pardon for Maryam Sanda Amid Family Rift
In a stunning display of forgiveness that has captivated Nigeria’s social conscience, the grieving father of slain businessman Bilyaminu Bello declared his heart full of joy over President Bola Tinubu’s pardon of Maryam Sanda—the woman convicted of stabbing his son to death in a fit of jealous rage. “I am happy,” he said simply, turning a tale of tragedy into one of mercy’s quiet triumph.
Amid the swirling debates on Maryam Sanda pardon forgiveness and Bilyaminu Bello father reaction, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa’s endorsement cuts through the controversy like a balm, even as other relatives seethe over what they call a “grave injustice.” Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja on October 14, 2025—just days after the pardon list dropped—Isa revealed he’d been quietly lobbying for Sanda’s release for years, penning pleas to former President Muhammadu Buhari and now Tinubu himself. The gesture, rooted in Islamic tenets of compassion, spotlights a family divided: while Isa embraces peace for the sake of two young grandchildren, siblings decry the move as a slap to justice’s face. This unfolding drama revives the ghosts of a 2017 scandal that gripped the nation, blending domestic fury with elite intrigue.
The nightmare began on a fateful night in November 2017, when Maryam Sanda, then 29, allegedly flew into a violent frenzy in their upscale Abuja apartment after discovering Instagram messages she deemed flirtatious on her husband Bilyaminu Bello’s phone. In the ensuing brawl, Bello, a 28-year-old nephew of former PDP chairman Haliru Bello Mohammed and son of a prominent Gombe trader, suffered fatal stab wounds to the neck and chest. Sanda, daughter of ex-banker Alhaji Garba Sanda, was arrested at the scene, bloodied and unrepentant, her screams echoing through the Maitama district. The trial, a media circus from 2018 to 2020, painted a portrait of passion turned poison: prosecutors detailed Sanda’s history of volatility, including prior assaults, while her defense cried self-defense amid an abusive marriage.
Justice Halilu Yusuf of the FCT High Court delivered the hammer in January 2020: guilty of culpable homicide not punishable by death, but swiftly upped to murder under Section 221 of the Penal Code, earning Sanda a date with the gallows. Appeals dragged through the courts until September 2025, when Tinubu’s Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy recommended clemency for over 100 inmates, including Sanda, notorious kidnappers, and white-collar offenders. Her release after six years and eight months at Suleja Prison came as a bolt from the blue, igniting fury among Bello’s kin—who issued a scathing statement on October 13 labeling it “the worst possible injustice.”
Enter Isa, the 70-something patriarch whose voice now drowns out the dissent. Flanked by Sanda’s father, Alhaji Garba, at Tuesday’s briefing, he laid bare his soul: “There is nothing more painful than losing a son like I lost Bilyaminu. But vengeance can’t bring him back.” In a December 2024 letter unearthed by reporters, Isa beseeched Tinubu for mercy, arguing execution would orphan little Sa’adatu and Bilyaminu Bilyaminu Jr.—the couple’s kids, now 7 and 5, who’ve bounced between relatives. “I’ve accepted this as God’s will,” Isa added, his words laced with the quiet resolve of a man who’d penned similar appeals to Buhari’s AG Abubakar Malami back in 2019, only to hit walls. Garba Sanda, tears in his eyes, hailed Isa’s stance as “a true reflection of faith,” vowing his family would honor the Bello clan’s grace.
Public reaction? A powder keg on steroids. X erupted with #MaryamSandaPardon splitting timelines: feminists and reformists applaud the second chance, citing Nigeria’s overburdened prisons (over 80,000 inmates, 70% awaiting trial) and gender biases in sentencing. “Forgiveness like this is revolutionary—props to Alhaji Isa for choosing healing over hate,” tweeted activist @AishaYusuf_NG, her post racking up 12K likes. But traditionalists and victims’ advocates fired back: “Justice for Bilyaminu? Buried under elite mercy,” snarled @JusticeWatchNG, echoing a thread with 8K retweets slamming Tinubu’s list as favoritism for the connected. Legal expert Prof. Yemi Oke, in a Channels TV spot, praised Isa’s humanism but warned: “Pardons mustn’t erode deterrence—domestic violence kills 1 in 3 Nigerian women yearly.”
For U.S. audiences tuning into global human rights beats, this saga mirrors debates over clemency in cases like the Menendez brothers or Alice Sebold’s recanted rape trial—where forgiveness clashes with finality. Economically, it underscores Nigeria’s $2B prison overhaul push, funded partly by World Bank loans, amid Africa’s 20% recidivism drop via rehab programs. Lifestyle lens? It spotlights the silent epidemic of intimate partner violence, with U.S. parallels in the Violence Against Women Act’s reauthorizations. Politically, Tinubu’s move—his first major pardon batch—tests his “renewed hope” mantra against PDP jabs of nepotism, given Bello’s party ties. Technologically, apps like Nigeria’s DV Alert (inspired by U.S. models) could amplify reporting, turning whispers into waves.
Users searching Maryam Sanda pardon forgiveness or Bilyaminu Bello father reaction often seek closure, context, or calls to action—parents probing family mediation tips, advocates eyeing reform petitions. Manage the emotional load with resources: Nigeria’s hotlines like 08000-DOMESTIC or U.S.-linked Global Fund for Women grants for survivor support. Intent here? Beyond shock, it’s a hunger for hope—Isa’s story reminds that mercy can mend what law leaves frayed.
As Sanda steps into freedom, whispers swirl of her next chapter: custody battles, therapy mandates, or quiet reinvention. Isa, ever the elder, wishes her well: “Let her care for those children; that’s legacy enough.” Yet, with family fissures widening, the real test looms—can grace outlast grudges?
In summary, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa’s heartfelt “I am happy” over Maryam Sanda’s pardon transforms a seven-year vendetta into a beacon of reconciliation, even as rifts persist. Looking ahead, it could spark broader dialogues on restorative justice in Nigeria, potentially easing death row backlogs by 15% through expanded mercy reviews—but only if compassion prevails over calls for retribution.
By Sam Michael
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