Demola Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser on Digital Media Strategy to former Vice President and 2023 PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration for granting a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in 2017.
In a post shared on his official X handle on Friday, October 17, 2025, Olanrewaju accused the government of manipulating the process surrounding Sanda’s release.
He alleged that officials went as far as bringing an estranged relative to impersonate the victim’s father in a bid to publicly support the pardon, describing the act as part of a “dramatically criminal regime of illegality.”
The presidential pardon, announced earlier this month, has stirred national outrage and divided opinions across the country.
While the purported father of the deceased, Ahmed Bello Isa, reportedly expressed forgiveness and thanked the government during a press briefing, other members of the victim’s family—including his mother and siblings—have denounced the decision.
They described the pardon as “the worst possible injustice,” arguing that it undermines the rule of law and reopens old wounds for the grieving family.
According to Demola Olanrewaju on his X official account:
“They went to bring an estranged relative to come and stand as the father to show enthusiastic support for the release of his son’s murderer.”
The controversy continues to fuel debate on the fairness of presidential pardons and the transparency of the Tinubu administration’s justice reforms. See, More, Here>>>
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