More rights activists join campaign to free farmer Jackson from death row, describe Supreme Court verdict as miscarriage of justice

More rights activists join campaign to free Jackson, say verdict signals loss of “hope for the common man”

By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor

More human rights groups have joined others to criticise the judgment of the Supreme Court upholding the death sentence of Adamawa farmer Sunday Jackson, describing it as a miscarriage of justice.

Ngozi Molokwu, Chief Executive Officer of Injustice Is Real, condemned the judgment, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove the murder charge beyond reasonable doubt.

Centre for Human and Socioeconomic Rights Chief Executive Officer, Alex Omotehinse, also expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court verdict, saying it signals the loss of “hope for the common man.”

The top court on March 7 upheld the death sentence of Jackson, a man in his 30s, for killing Fulani herdsman Ardo Bawuro during an altercation on his farmland about seven years ago.

Jackson said he was working on his farm when Bawuro attacked him with a knife, but that he overpowered the assailant in a counter-attack that led to his death.

An Adamawa High Court ruled in 2021 that Jackson had the opportunity to escape rather than stab his attacker, and sentenced him to death, a decision the Supreme Court upheld.

Jackson has appealed to Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for clemency in the affirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court for killing the Fulani herdsman in self-defence.

The appeal is supported by international human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe, a Nigerian-American based in Washington, and by a petition signed, at the last count, by 1,141 public-spirited global citizens.

See the global citizens’ petition HERE https://chng.it/XnQr7DKfvS .

Molokwu told The PUNCH: “I am deeply saddened by the case of the herdsman and the farmer, and I want to use this opportunity to urge the judiciary to revisit this case.

“Has reasonable doubt been proved here? Has the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the farmer was guilty of murder? They relied on his confession. A confession that the police officer took.

“The police officer who was with him when he made the statement, what was the caution he gave the farmer? Did he read him his rights?

“The law says beyond a reasonable doubt. There is doubt as to the caution that was given to the farmer. He could have signed the statement under duress.”

Omotehinse said: “This is a clear miscarriage of justice. Jackson should not have been charged with murder – this was a case of self-defence.  At the very least, it should have been considered manslaughter.

“Reports indicate that the herder stabbed him twice, and Jackson managed to retrieve the same knife to defend himself, which ultimately led to the herder’s death.

“Everyone is aware of the ongoing clashes between farmers and herders, where, in most cases, it is the farmers who are killed. This is one of the rare instances in recent years where a farmer managed to defend himself and survive by overpowering his attacker.

“Now, we hear that the Supreme Court has upheld the rulings of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. This clearly shows that our judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man.”

Clashes between herders and farmers are frequent in Nigeria, particularly in the North East where Adamawa is located.

In a single night in November 2017, more than 27 people were killed in a violent confrontation between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Safere and Kodomti villages, in Numan Council of the state.

Police confirmed that most of the victims were women and children.

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Sunday Jackson appeals to Adamawa Gov for clemency over Supreme Court death sentence for killing Fulani herdsman in self-defence