In a ruling that has sparked widespread shock and condemnation, Nigeria’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Sunday Jackson, a farmer from Adamawa State, for fatally stabbing a Fulani herdsman during what he says was an act of self-defence.
According to the details of the case, Jackson was working on his farmland when he was allegedly attacked by the herdsman, Ardo Bawuro, who wielded a dagger. Reports say Jackson sustained injuries but managed to disarm Bawuro and, in the heat of the struggle, stabbed him in the neck, leading to his death.
At the original trial, Jackson pleaded self-defence, but the court rejected his argument and convicted him of murder under the relevant penal code. The Supreme Court, in its majority decision, agreed with lower courts, reasoning that Jackson used excessive force and, after disarming his attacker, should have fled instead of continuing the confrontation.
Critics have raised serious red flags about procedural and constitutional lapses in the case. Notably, the judgment was delivered 167 days after the final court submissions — nearly double the 90-day limit mandated by Nigeria’s Constitution. Legal experts argue that this delay compromised the fairness of the process.
Many have also condemned the court’s interpretation of self-defence, calling it disconnected from the realities of violent confrontation. Human rights groups, religious leaders, and community organizations are now pleading for clemency, urging Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to grant Jackson a pardon under the state’s power of mercy.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also weighed in, condemning the sentence, while the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described the ruling as a “grave travesty of justice.”
As Jackson’s fate now lies in the hands of political leaders, his case is being viewed as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to protecting citizens who defend their lives — especially in volatile rural areas.
