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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
Governor Seyi Makinde’s Chief of Staff Resigns
Segun Ogunwuyi, the Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, has resigned from his position with immediate effect.
In a formal letter dated Monday, October 12, 2026, and addressed to the governor, Ogunwuyi stated that his resignation takes effect from the same day.
“I respectfully write to resign my appointment as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Oyo State, with effect from today, 12th October, 2026,” the letter read.
Ogunwuyi described his service in the administration as a great honour and expressed pride in the achievements recorded by the government. He said it had been deeply fulfilling to be part of the team that worked to deliver the administration’s accomplishments in advancing the growth, development and prosperity of Oyo State.
He also conveyed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and reaffirmed his unwavering loyalty to Oyo State and Nigeria, while expressing confidence in the state’s continued progress.
A former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, Ogunwuyi is among several aides who have left the Makinde administration in recent months. He was appointed Chief of Staff in July 2021.
News
Forbes Scores GTBank Best Employers 2026
Forbes said companies did not pay to participate or secure selection.
Guaranty Trust Bank has emerged as the only Nigerian company among the 10 highest-ranked African businesses on Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026 list.
The bank ranked 277th globally and seventh among African companies, breaking South Africa’s near-total dominance of the continent’s top 10 entries.
Nedbank led the African contingent at 26th globally, followed by Standard Bank Group at 54th.
Absa Group and FirstRand occupied 98th and 104th positions respectively, Business Insider reported.
African top 10 and global positions
The African top 10 was drawn from Forbes’ worldwide ranking, rather than a separate competition assessing every employer on the continent.
The leading African entries span financial services, telecommunications, energy, chemicals and healthcare.
The full African positions were: Nedbank at 26th, Standard Bank Group at 54th, Absa Group at 98th, FirstRand at 104th, MTN Group at 133rd, Investec at 197th, Guaranty Trust Bank at 277th, Sasol at 298th, Mediclinic International at 460th and Sanlam at 470th.
GTBank was Nigeria’s sole representative in this group, while the remaining nine entries were South African companies.
The positions stretched from Nedbank’s 26th place to Sanlam’s 470th.
Financial services dominated, accounting for seven of the 10 companies when Sanlam is included alongside the six banking groups.
How Forbes compiled the ranking
Forbes compiled the ranking with research company Statista, surveying more than 300,000 employees across over 50 countries.
The research covered multinational businesses employing more than 1,000 people.
Ultimately, 900 companies headquartered in 52 countries made the final list.
Participants assessed benefits, talent development, working conditions and training opportunities.
They also indicated whether they would recommend their employers to friends and relatives.
Respondents could evaluate former employers they had worked for within the previous two years, alongside other companies they knew through professional or personal connections.
The scoring incorporated earlier survey data, with greater weight assigned to recent responses and assessments from current employees.
Forbes said companies did not pay to participate or secure selection.
News
JUST IN: A’Court Stalls SERAP, Oluwadare Defamation Appeals Over Late Briefs
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday stalled the hearing of two appeals filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, against a ₦101 million judgment debt.
The appeals challenge the May 5 judgment of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which held that SERAP and Oluwadare defamed two Department of State Services (DSS) officials through a false publication on September 10, 2024.
A three-member panel led by Justice Danlami Senchi first took the SERAP appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1114/2026. When the related appeal by Oluwadare (CA/ABJ/CV/1105/2026) was called, counsel Hannah Ayanwale informed the court that it was not ripe for hearing. She said the appellant’s brief was only filed on Thursday and served on the respondents in court on Friday morning, just before sitting began.
The justices expressed displeasure that the court had not been informed earlier that the sister appeal was not ready. Because both appeals arose from the same judgment, the panel set aside the proceedings already conducted on the SERAP appeal and ordered that the two matters be heard together.
The court adjourned both appeals to October 13. It directed the respondents to file their briefs by October 12 and the appellants to file any reply briefs before the next sitting.
In the May 5 judgment, Justice Halilu Yusuf of the FCT High Court found that SERAP and Oluwadare made false claims on the organisation’s website and social media platforms alleging that DSS officials Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024, and subjected staff to harassment.
The judge held that the claimants established all the ingredients of defamation. He rejected the defence of justification, noting that the defendants admitted at trial that the DSS officials did not forcibly enter the premises or brandish weapons. Words such as “invasion,” “forceful entry” and “harassment” were therefore used inaccurately.
Justice Yusuf ruled that the publications injured the claimants’ professional reputation and standing. He awarded ₦100 million in damages and ₦1 million as costs, ordered a public apology to be published on SERAP’s website, its X handle, two national newspapers and two television stations, and directed that the judgment sum attract 10 per cent interest per annum until fully paid.
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