United States congressman Riley Moore urged Nigerian authorities to release Sunday Jackson, a farmer sentenced to death for killing an armed herdsman. He said the case shows a serious injustice that needs urgent action.
During an interview with Fox News, Mr Moore explained that recent talks between U.S. officials and a Nigerian delegation offered hope. He said National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu led the Nigerian team. He described the meeting as productive and encouraging.
Furthermore, Mr Moore insisted that freeing Sunday Jackson must remain a top priority. He also urged Nigeria to work with the United States to disarm violent militants in the Middle Belt. He specifically mentioned Fulani extremists linked to repeated attacks.
Police arrested Mr Jackson and charged him with culpable homicide at the Yola High Court in Adamawa State. The offence carries a mandatory death sentence under Section 211 of the northern penal code. During the trial, Mr Jackson admitted that the attacker died during their struggle. He maintained he acted only to save his life.
However, the prosecution urged Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida to convict him based solely on his admission. The defence argued he should walk free because he acted in self-defence. In February 2021, the judge sentenced him to death by hanging. She ruled that his self-defence claim failed because he could have fled after overpowering the attacker.
Many lawyers and activists have condemned the judgment. They warned that the ruling sets a worrying precedent for self-defence cases. They also fear the decision could discourage victims from protecting themselves during violent attacks.
Since Mr Jackson remains on death row, his only path to freedom is a state pardon. The Adamawa governor can grant the pardon through the state attorney general.
In the Fox News interview, Mr Moore also criticised the abduction of schoolgirls and teachers in northern Nigeria. He again urged the Nigerian government to disarm what he called “radical Muslim Fulani militants terrorising the Middle Belt.”
