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.…As ruling ignites outcry over citizens’ right to self-defence
Nigeria’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for Sunday Jackson, a farmer convicted of killing a Fulani herdsman in a case critics argue was an act of self-defense.
This is also as the clamour for clemency for Jackson continues to grow.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, March 7, 2025, mandates Jackson’s execution by hanging, sparking widespread condemnation from human rights groups and fueling debates over Nigeria’s justice system.
The incident dates back to 2014, when Jackson, a farmer from Dong community in Adamawa State, clashed with herder Buba Ardo Bawuro after the latter allegedly brought cattle to graze on Jackson’s farm. According to Jackson’s testimony, he confronted Bawuro, who responded by attacking him with a knife. Jackson claims he disarmed Bawuro during the struggle and stabbed him in self-defense after sustaining injuries to his head and leg.
Despite Jackson’s assertion that he acted to protect himself, a High Court in Adamawa convicted him of murder in 2021. Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida ruled that Jackson’s confession – in which he admitted to stabbing Bawuro three times – was sufficient for conviction. She argued that Jackson, having disarmed his attacker, “had the opportunity to escape but failed to do so.”
Legal Challenges and Delays
Jackson’s legal team appealed the verdict, citing procedural irregularities and violations of constitutional safeguards for self-defense. Notably, defense counsel Emmanuel Ogebe highlighted that the 2021 judgment was delivered 167 days after final arguments – far exceeding the 90-day constitutional limit for rulings. Ogebe contended this delay contributed to judicial errors, including the trial court’s alleged misinterpretation of Nigeria’s self-defense laws.
“The trial judge substituted her own opinion for the facts,” Ogebe argued during an interview on ‘Arise TV’. “The constitution allows citizens to stand their ground, yet the court claimed Jackson should have fled despite being stabbed on the leg and physically impaired.”
Criticism and Calls for Clemency
Human rights advocates and legal experts have condemned the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it a dangerous precedent that criminalizes self-defense in a country grappling with frequent farmer-herder violence. Critics argue the ruling reflects systemic biases, where victims of attacks face harsh penalties while perpetrators often evade justice.
Ogebe emphasized that the case should never have proceeded to trial, stating, “At worst, this was manslaughter. The prosecution failed to consider the context of imminent threat.” He further lamented institutional failures, accusing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Attorney General, and Legal Aid Council of neglecting Jackson’s rights.
Way forward
With legal avenues exhausted, Jackson’s only remaining hope lies in a gubernatorial pardon. Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri now faces mounting pressure to grant clemency.
As tensions persist between farming communities and herders, many fear the ruling could deter vulnerable Nigerians from protecting themselves against violence.
