ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has condemned what it termed travesty of justice in the case of Sunday Jackson, a young farmer and student sentenced to death for defending himself against a violent attacker.
In a statement signed by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu on Thursday, ActionAid Nigeria said the Supreme Court's ruling upholding the sentence is a miscarriage of justice.
In 2015, Sunday Jackson, then a 20-year-old student and farmer from Dong community in Demsa Local Government Area, Adamawa State, was attacked on his farm in Kodomti community, Numan Local Government Area.
Buba Ardo Bawuro, a herder, deliberately led his cattle to graze on Jackson’s crops. When confronted, Bawuro violently attacked Jackson with a knife, stabbing him in the leg. Despite his injuries, Jackson managed to overpower his assailant and seized the weapon. In the ensuing struggle, Bawuro lost his life. Rather than being recognised as a victim of an unprovoked attack who defended himself, Jackson was arrested and charged with culpable homicide.
What followed was a complete breakdown of justice. Jackson spent seven years in detention, which AAN described as a blatant violation of his rights, before being convicted and sentenced to death in 2021 by the Yola High Court.
AAN said “the judge outrageously ruled that Jackson should have fled after disarming his attacker—an absurd expectation under such dire circumstances. The Supreme Court, which should have corrected this injustice, instead upheld the death sentence on March 7, 2025, further eroding
the public's confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.”
Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria noted that "This ruling sets a dangerous precedent and reinforces systemic injustice against the most vulnerable Nigerians. Sunday Jackson was a young farmer defending himself against an unprovoked attack, yet instead of justice, he has been subjected to a decade of wrongful imprisonment and now faces execution. This is not just an individual tragedy; it is an indictment of our justice system and a stark reminder of the inequalities that persist in Nigeria."
Mamedu noted that self-defense is not a crime. It is a fundamental right recognised under Nigerian and international law. By condemning Jackson to death for protecting himself, the Supreme Court has sent a chilling message to all citizens—that their right to life is secondary to legal technicalities and systemic failures.
Mamedu also noted that ‘‘the prolonged trial period, detention and delayed judgment, blatantly violated Jackson’s right to a fair and speedy trial as provided for under Section 36(6)(b) of the Constitution.
ActionAid Nigeria however called for the intervention of the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, to grant executive clemency and stop this “wrongful execution,” adding that: “We call on Nigerians and Civil Society Organisations to condemn this ruling and pressure Governor Fintiri to overturn this injustice.’’
ActionAid Nigeria reiterated that the Nigerian judiciary must cease being a tool of oppression against the poor, stating that: “This case should serve as a wake-up call that justice cannot be selective—Sunday Jackson must not be executed for daring to survive an attack. We will not stand by while an innocent man is being executed for having defended himself.
“Justice for Sunday Jackson is justice for all Nigerians.”
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