The name of Maryam Sanda sentenced to death in 2020 for the culpable homicide of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, has been removed from the pardon list by President Bola Tinubu.

This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday.

Onanuga noted that President Tinubu was exercising his constitutional powers of prerogative of mercy as captured under Section 175(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He stressed that the new list came about after consultations with the Council of State and the public opinion and signing of all relevant instruments necessary to formalise the updated list of beneficiaries.

According to the statement, Tinubu ordered the removal of individuals convicted of severe crimes, including kidnapping, drug offenses, human trafficking, fraud, and illegal firearms possession or trafficking, from the list.

Also, those who were previously pardoned on the old list have had their sentences reduced.

The National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, has issued a stern warning to politicians and stakeholders against violence in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election.

The NSA warned that violence won’t be tolerated.

Ribadu gave the warning on Tuesday at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, held at INEC Headquarters, Abuja.

Represented by the Director of Internal Security, Hassan Abdullahi, the NSA reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to ensure a peaceful and secure environment for the poll.

He charged political parties and candidates to promote peace and discourage violence before, during, and after the exercise.

“We are engaging with political leaders and local stakeholders to send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated,” he said.

According to him, the Office of the NSA is committed to implementing President Bola Tinubu’s directive on the strategic mobilization of security forces during the electoral period.

He further stated that enhanced surveillance, deployment of adequate security personnel, and improved intelligence gathering have been put in place to prevent any attempt by destructive elements or desperate politicians to undermine the electoral process.

At the Ekiti State High Court, in Ado-Ekiti, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, has sentenced three persons, Shadrack Apos, 30, Lucky Akpos, 33, and Adunola Precious, 24, to death by hanging for robbing an 87-year-old woman.

The convicts were arraigned before Justice Ogunmoye on 19th August 2024, on a two count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

The charge reads: ‘The defendants on 12/6/24 at Ifaki Ekiti did conspire to rob one Victoria Folorunso of the cash sum of N147,000 and wristwatch, as at the time of the robbery they were armed with gun and planks, contrary to Sections 421 and 321 (2) (b) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021’.

In her testimony before the court, the 87- year-old victim said, ‘I was sleeping around 1:00 am when I suddenly saw two persons in my room, one held and pointed a gun at my forehead while the second person held a plank. They asked me to bring all the money I have in the house, I was about lifting my mattress where I kept the money, they helped me to lift it, they took the N100,000 I have there and another N47,000 I kept in my underwear’.

According to the victim, they took a wristwatch given to her by her children. She alleged that they also took her phone but later retuned it to her.

‘When they threatened to shoot me, I told them I have N3 million in my account, they instructed me to withdraw the money the following day and give to Precious Adunola my house help to deliver it to them by 11:00 am. They were not masked, they did not break the door and were relating freely with my house help’, she added.

She further said the convicts warned her not to tell anybody or else they will kidnap and kill her. ‘They were calling and threatening me thereafter for taking too long to receive the money. I later called and informed my children’.

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called two witnesses and tendered defendant’s statements, search warrant, wooden gun among others as exhibits, while the defendants spoke through their lawyers Oluwatoyin Marcus and Mitchel Aribisala.

They called one witness each.

In his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said the prosecution proved the case against the defendants.

The judge pronounced: ‘My earlier findings that the 3rd defendant, Adunola Precious must have opened the door to enable the robbers have seamless entry into the house she was sharing with the victim aptly demonstrated her own pivotal role in the plan to rob the victim.

‘From the believable evidence before the court therefore, it was clear that the prosecution had been able to establish that the defendants planned and agreed to rob the victim on 12th June, 2024. The charge of conspiracy and armed robbery had therefore been proved beyond reasonable doubt against the defendants.

‘They are also found guilty and convicted as charged in this court.

‘The 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants are to be hanged by the neck until they were dead. May God have mercy on their souls’.