Bilyaminu’s relative faults Maryam Sanda’s father-in-law over comments on presidential pardon

Hafiz Usman, a relative of the late Bilyaminu Bello has criticised Ahmed Isa Bello, the deceased’s father, over his public defence of President Bola Tinubu’s decision to grant a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted for Bilyaminu’s murder.

At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Bello said he had been advocating clemency for Sanda long before the president’s decision, noting that he had written to former attorney-general Abubakar Malami in 2019 to request mercy for her on humanitarian grounds.

His remarks came days after the Bello family issued a statement condemning Sanda’s release, describing it as “the worst possible injustice” to the memory of their slain relative.

The family had said allowing Sanda to “walk the face of the earth again, free from any blemish for her heinous crime”, was a painful betrayal of justice.

Usman, however, faulted Bello’s appearance at the press briefing, alleging that the man had never been part of the deceased’s life.

In a Facebook post, Usman said despite being close to Bilyaminu throughout his life, he had never met his biological father until the press conference.

‘I HAVE NEVER SEEN BILYAMINUN’S FATHER’

In a Facebook post, Usman said despite being close to Bilyaminu throughout his life, he had never met his biological father until the press conference.

“But what happened today (referring to the press conference) with that stunt that was pulled by the perpetrator’s family was another bitter pill too hard to swallow,” he wrote.

“To be honest, I don’t really blame her (Maryam Sanda) father because he was only doing what any father will do to protect his daughter from public bashing. I completely understand why.

“What I don’t understand is why dragging into the frame someone who had never been in the picture all through Bilya’s lifetime, & it is that person my ‘anger’ is directed at.

“If they wanted genuine reconciliation, why not reach out to the person they had been dealing with all the while from when their children were dating till the unfortunate incident occurred?

“Didn’t they know that Bilya had a biological father when they gave their daughter to him to marry? But then again, even I, despite knowing & being close to Bilya his whole life, didn’t know that his biological father was alive & had never seen him before until today’s press conference.

“I even had to first confirm from some relatives if the person in the video was indeed Bilya’s father. Tells you enough about the type of ‘father’ he was.

“But because of some miserable worldly gain that wouldn’t last a year at most, he chose to do what he did & stick two fingers in the eyes of the person that took over his son’s upbringing & made him into the man that he turned out to be without any input from the so-called biological father.”

Mahmud Jega, a columnist, also weighed in, noting in a recent article that Bilyaminu was raised by his maternal grandmother and later by his uncle, Haliru Mohammed Bello, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the early death of his mother.

BACKGROUND

Last Thursday, Sanda was among the 175 persons who received a presidential pardon and other forms of clemency from President Bola Tinubu following the approval of the national council of state.

The presidency said Sanda’s family pleaded for her release in the best interest of her two children and that she showed good conduct in prison.

In November 2017, Sanda was arrested for stabbing her husband to death over alleged infidelity.

In January 2020, a federal capital territory (FCT) high court found Sanda guilty of killing her husband and sentenced her to death by hanging.

In December 2020, the court of appeal in Abuja affirmed the decision of the trial court and dismissed Sanda’s appeal. The supreme court followed suit.