A major flaw in the Nigerian legal system has been exposed to the global community with the trending story of brazen miscarriage of justice visited on citizen Sunday Jackson, a farmer from Dong community in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Sometime in 2015, Jackson was working on his farm and a Fulani herdsman, Buba Ardo Bawuro, deliberately allowed his herd to eat his crops, as so often seen in viral videos. When Jackson confronted Bawuro, the latter reportedly attacked him with a dagger, stabbing him on his hands and leg. Jackson eventually subdued his assailant in the ensuing scuffle. Bawuro died from stab wounds.
Those in a position to know regarded it as a clear case of provocation and self-defence, but the Adamawa State High Court judge, Fatima Ahmed Tafida, sentenced Jackson to death by hanging in 2021. The sentence was confirmed by the Court of Appeal. Even the Supreme Court panel presided by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, on March 7, 2025, upheld the death sentence for “exceeding the bounds of necessity”. The Court rejected the plea of provocation as enshrined under Section 222(1) of the Penal Code.
However, a member of the Supreme Court panel, Justice Helen Moronkeji Ogunwumiju, disagreed with the judgement, asserting that Jackson was entitled to stand his ground, even if it led to the death of his attacker, in defence of his life and property as referenced under Section 33(2) the 1999 Constitution.
Since the world finally started giving ear to alleged killings in Nigeria, Jackson’s story acquired a new life of its own. Apart from groups such as the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN; Catholic Bishops Conference, CBC; and other domestic and international advocacy platforms, US Congressman, Riley Moore is portraying Jackson’s judicial persecution as a part of the ordeals that Christians face in Northern Nigeria.
This malicious verdict shows the danger of populating the Judiciary predominantly with judges from particular religious and ethnic backgrounds, leaving very little space for effective checks and balances. It underscores once again the need for the strict implementation of Section 14(3) of the Constitution, which prescribes equitable representation of all sections of the country in all departments of government to preclude this sort of injustice and foster national loyalty.
We strongly question the ridiculous tendency to send certain kinds of convicts to areas in the country where their safety could easily be compromised. Jackson was remanded in Borno State. The trend was noticed in Justice James Omotosho’s transfer of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to Sokoto Prisons.
Sunday Jackson’s experience appears to suggest that a particular ethnic group is treated by the Nigerian system as sacred cows, while the others are harshly persecuted whenever there is conflict between the two sides. It is unacceptable and must be stopped.
We call for Sunday Jackson’s immediate pardon and rehabilitation.
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