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JUST IN: Supreme Court Reinstates Death Sentence for Maryam Sanda, Overrides President’s Pardon
Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Friday overturned the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, the Abuja housewife convicted of stabbing her husband to death in 2018, reinstating her original death sentence by hanging.
Sanda, 37, was sentenced to death in January 2020 by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court for culpable homicide punishable with death after she fatally stabbed Bilyaminu Bello during a heated domestic dispute over alleged infidelity. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in December 2020, and the Supreme Court affirmed it in 2023, exhausting her appeals.
In October 2025, President Bola Tinubu initially granted Sanda a full pardon as part of clemency extended to 175 convicts, citing her family’s pleas for the sake of her two children, her good conduct in prison, and remorse. However, amid public backlash, the administration revised the decision, commuting her sentence to 12 years imprisonment on compassionate grounds.
The Supreme Court’s 4-1 majority decision, delivered by Justice Moore Adumein, dismissed Sanda’s final appeal as meritless. Adumein ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, affirming the lower courts’ findings that Sanda’s actions constituted intentional murder.
Crucially, the apex court held that the executive branch’s exercise of pardon powers under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution was invalid in this instance, as Sanda’s appeal was still pending before the judiciary at the time of the grant. “It was wrong for the Executive to seek to exercise its power of pardon over a case of culpable homicide in respect of which an appeal was pending,” Justice Adumein stated in the lead judgment.
The dissenting justice argued for upholding the commutation, emphasizing humanitarian considerations for Sanda’s children and her time served—over seven years at Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.
The ruling has reignited national debates on the separation of powers, domestic violence, and the application of the death penalty. Sanda’s family expressed devastation, while Bello’s relatives hailed the decision as long-overdue justice. Rights groups decried the outcome, calling for legislative reforms on prerogative of mercy.
Sanda remains in custody pending any further legal maneuvers, though options appear exhausted. The Attorney General’s office confirmed investigations into the pardon process’s procedural flaws.
News
NESREA Probes Mysterious Cloud-Like Substance on Kaduna-Abuja Expressway (Images)
Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has commenced an urgent investigation into a strange white, foamy, cloud-like substance that appeared along the busy Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.

The unusual substance drew crowds and sparked widespread online speculation, with some initially mistaking it for “fallen clouds.” NESREA has warned residents and motorists to avoid the area, describing it as a suspected chemical spill possibly linked to a truck accident.
Agency officials from the Kaduna State Field Office visited the site, collected samples of the foam, soil, and nearby water for laboratory analysis to determine its composition and potential environmental or health risks.

Further updates are expected as tests continue. Motorists are advised to exercise caution on the expressway.
News
President Trump Writes President Tinubu, Lauding His Decisive Leadership Against Terrorists
“It is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against these terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.”
US President Donald Trump has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his decisive leadership against terrorism.
In a letter to President Tinubu, President Trump applauded Tinubu’s resolve “to tackle the issues plaguing Nigeria, especially the violence affecting Christian communities.”
According to Trump: “It is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against these terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.”
The US-Nigeria relationship flourished in recent times, with the two sides working closely in key areas, especially in tackling security challenges afflicting parts of Nigeria.
In November last year, President Trump and President Tinubu agreed to establish a Joint Working Group co-headed by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States.
Through the work of the working group, the two sides agreed on several steps, including training, intelligence sharing, and joint operations to roll back terrorist activities.
A highlight of the collaboration was the May 16 coordinated attack on ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad area, which led to the killing of the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and many of his lieutenants.
Last week, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja, where he held meetings with senior government officials and pledged to strengthen the cooperation between Abuja and Washington DC in security and other areas of collaboration.
Full text of the letter dated July 6, 2026: Dear Mr President, “Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Your kind words mean a great deal to me, and I appreciate your decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people.
I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities and it is a true honor to stand with you in the fight against terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.
“The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time where conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world. We both share a mutual goal of confronting terrorism in all its forms, and our historic US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has established a robust framework to accomplish this feat.
“I am proud to have deployed the United States Special Operations Forces—among the most elite military units anywhere in the world—to equip the brave men and women in the Armed Forces of Nigeria with the skills, tools and intelligence they need to protect your homeland and ensure the safety and security of citizens, particularly those of faith who have been under attack. I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my Presidency.
” Sincerely, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America.
News
Excitement as Tinubu approves new army battalion for Kwara
The battalion will be located in Omu Aran, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area, and is expected to boost troop deployment and military operations, particularly in areas affected by kidnappings and bandit attacks.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a new Army battalion in the State to strengthen security and tackle banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mashood Agboola, Governor AbdulRazaq, said that the battalion will be located in Omu Aran, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area, and is expected to boost troop deployment and military operations, particularly in areas affected by kidnappings and bandit attacks.
He described the approval as another demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing security challenges in the state.
The governor thanked President Tinubu for approving the new military formation, saying it would strengthen ongoing counterterrorism and anti-kidnapping operations.
“We are confident the new battalion will greatly strengthen counterterrorism and anti-kidnapping operations,” he said.
AbdulRazaq also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for the swift processing of the request, and appreciated the Office of the National Security Adviser and other security agencies for their efforts to combat violent crime.
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