The father of a slain herder has appealed to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State to grant clemency to a farmer sentenced to death for his son’s murder. The appeal comes amid ongoing tensions between farmers and herders in the state, a conflict that has led to tragic losses on both sides.
This was revealed by Emmanuel Ogebe, a US based Nigerian lawyer.
According to him, “Yesterday when we got back from Numan, we heard that the Supreme Court has released the judgment after two weeks. But, we’ve gone beyond the judgment. We’re now at the clemency stage. And, I’m happy to report that the King of the Bachama kingdom had hosted the members of both families prior to our arrival and the mediated the issue. The father of Jackson’s attacker, a gentleman named Ado Baworo said not only was he not aware of the case, but he doesn’t support his execution. They literally presented to us there a letter he had already signed asking for his [Jackson’s] pardon. Yes, in Yola, we delivered the letter to the Governor of Adamawa state.”
Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Sunday, Dr. Williams Devlin, International Human Rights Advocate said the victim Sunday Jackson is innocent of the charges. “Sunday Jackson is an innocent man. How do I know that? I met with Sunday Jackson in February 19, 2021. That’s when I first heard about the case. It’s clearly a case of self-defense.
Earlier on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, Barrister Sanni Akanni, counsel to Sunday Jackson, has called on the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, to exercise his prerogative of mercy in favor of his client.
According to Akanni, the incident that led to Jackson’s conviction occurred on a fateful day when he was tending to his farm. He recounted that a Fulani herder approached Jackson and inquired about the whereabouts of certain individuals. Jackson, unaware of any such presence, denied seeing anyone. However, the situation quickly escalated when the herder allegedly pushed his cattle into Jackson’s farm, causing immediate damage to his crops. In response, Jackson confronted the herder, which led to a violent altercation.
“Sunday Jackson was on his farm when a Fulani man approached him and asked if he had seen some people pass by. He said no. Suddenly, the herder drove his cattle into the farm, destroying crops. Naturally, anyone would react, and Sunday did,” Akanni explained.
What ensued was a fatal struggle. According to Akanni, the herder attacked Jackson with a knife, stabbing him in the back. As Jackson attempted to defend himself from a second stab, he sustained another wound to his leg. At this point, the altercation turned into a fight for survival. Jackson, in an attempt to protect himself, managed to wrest the knife from his assailant and retaliated, fatally stabbing the herder in the process.
Following the incident, Jackson was arrested, charged, and convicted by the High Court of Yola in 2020. Akanni, believing in his client’s innocence, filed an appeal, arguing that the case clearly fell within the legal principle of self-defense. However, the Court of Appeal upheld the initial ruling, rejecting Akanni’s submission. Undeterred, he proceeded to the Supreme Court in 2022. In a majority decision of 3-2, the apex court affirmed Jackson’s death sentence.
Having exhausted all judicial avenues, Akanni has now turned to the Adamawa State Governor, appealing for clemency under the prerogative of mercy. He highlighted that the Adamawa State Administration of Criminal Justice Law grants the Governor the power to commute Jackson’s sentence, particularly if there is evidence of remorse and rehabilitation.
“That prerogative of mercy is the option we are going to explore,” Akanni stated. “We have received several calls and will reach out to the Governor, a perfect gentleman, to present our case. Under the law, the decision now rests with the Governor through the Attorney-General. For clemency to be granted, they will want to see the character of the convict, whether he is remorseful, whether he has changed.”
The case of Sunday Jackson has reignited discussions on the volatile farmer-herder conflicts that have plagued Nigeria for years. Many view Jackson’s ordeal as a reflection of the broader tensions between local farmers and migrating herders, which have often resulted in deadly clashes. Human rights advocates and legal experts have also weighed in, with some questioning whether the judiciary sufficiently considered the self-defense argument in Jackson’s case.
As Jackson remains on death row, all eyes are now on Governor Fintiri to determine whether he will exercise his constitutional power to grant clemency. The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications, not only for Jackson’s fate but also for the legal interpretation of self-defense in cases involving communal disputes in Nigeria.
