Father of Murder Victim Reveals He Appealed to Tinubu to Pardon Maryam Sanda
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that the biological father of the late Bilyaminu Bello, Alhaji Ahmed Bello Isa, has disclosed that he personally appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant a presidential pardon to his daughter-in-law, Maryam Sanda, who was convicted of murdering his son in 2017.
OTN News further reports that, Alhaji Bello, speaking in a joint interview held in Abuja on Tuesday with Maryam’s father, Alhaji Garba Sanda, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the act of clemency and explained that his efforts to secure Maryam’s freedom were driven by compassion and faith, not vengeance.
According to him, he had long forgiven Maryam and made peace with the tragic loss of his son, saying that executing her would not bring back the dead and would only inflict further pain on their two young children.
According to him, “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 losing a son in the way I lost my son, Bilyaminu. But what gives me comfort is that he left behind two beautiful children, my granddaughter, Sa’adatu Bilyaminu, and my grandson, Bilyaminu Bilyaminu, named after his father.”
Alhaji Bello revealed that even before the conclusion of Maryam’s trial, he had appealed to both the Police and the Court not to prosecute her, explaining that he did not want his grandchildren, who had already lost their father, to 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."
“Now that she has been sentenced to death, I beg in the name of 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.
Responding to reports that some members of the Bello family had expressed disapproval of the pardon, he said everyone has the right to their opinion but maintained that, as the biological father of the deceased, he had chosen forgiveness.
“Anyone has the freedom in his family to express himself, but as the biological father, I have forgiven her,” he said.
In his remarks, Maryam’s father, Alhaji Garba Sanda, expressed deep appreciation to Alhaji Bello and his family for what he described as an extraordinary act of mercy and reconciliation.
“Words cannot describe our appreciation to the Bello family for this gesture of faith and forgiveness,” he said.
“We continue to pray that something positive may yet emerge from this regrettable tragedy—that our families may heal, and that the children will grow up knowing love from both sides.”
Both families reaffirmed their decision to prioritise forgiveness and compassion over pain and pledged to work together to raise Bilyaminu and Maryam’s two children in an atmosphere of peace and mutual respect.
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