A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has called on the Nigerian government to release Sunday Jackson, a Nigerian citizen sentenced to death for culpable homicide after a fatal confrontation with a herdsman in Adamawa State.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Mr Moore said the issue was raised during a recent meeting between US officials and a Nigerian delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“The meeting with the Nigerian delegation was productive, and it sounded like they’re open to partnering with the United States to stop these killings. I think we did make some progress,” he said.
Mr Moore added that one of the steps he hoped Nigeria would consider is “the release of Sunday Jackson” and greater cooperation with the US to address armed groups operating in parts of the country.
Mr Jackson, a 29-year-old farmer and student from the Dong community in Demsa LGA, was working on his farm in 2015 when a herdsman, Buba Ardo Bawuro, allegedly drove cattle onto his crops. A confrontation ensued, during which Mr Bawuro reportedly stabbed Jackson twice. Jackson, injured, overpowered his attacker, seized the knife and stabbed him back. The herdsman later died from his injuries.
Police arrested Jackson and he was charged with culpable homicide at the Yola High Court under Section 211 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty. Although Jackson admitted that the confrontation resulted in the death of the herdsman, he maintained that he acted in self-defence.
The prosecution asked the court to convict him based on his confession. His defence argued that he should be acquitted because he acted to save his life. In February 2021, the trial judge, Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida, ruled that Jackson’s admission was sufficient for conviction and held that he could have fled after disarming the attacker. He was sentenced to death by hanging.
Multiple appeals failed, and the Supreme Court upheld the conviction, leaving a state pardon by the Adamawa State governor as Jackson’s only remaining path to freedom.
Several lawyers and rights advocates have criticised the judgment, saying it raises concerns about how self-defence claims are evaluated in similar cases.
In the interview, Mr Moore also condemned the recent abduction of schoolgirls and teachers in northern Nigeria, urging stronger efforts to dismantle armed groups responsible for such attacks.
