Global Coalition Urges Nigerian AGF to Intervene in Death Sentence of Adamawa Farmer Who Acted in Self-Defence

A global coalition of human rights organisations has formally petitioned Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice to urgently intervene in the case of Mr. Sunday Jackson, a farmer from Adamawa State who is on death row for killing a herdsman in what the coalition describes as an act of self-defence.

The petition, led by Hope Behind Bars Africa, was delivered to the AGF’s office on June 2, 2025, under the title:
“Petition to the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for Intervention in the Case of Mr. Sunday Jackson: Urgent Need for a Case Stated, Multi-State Amicus Participation, and a Temporary Moratorium on Executions.”

The coalition argues that Jackson's conviction and death sentence represent a fundamental miscarriage of justice. It calls on the AGF to initiate a constitutional review, referencing Section 33(2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which protects the right to self-defence.

Background of the Case

In 2014, Sunday Jackson was attacked by a Fulani herdsman, Ardo Bawuro, after a dispute over cattle grazing on Jackson’s farmland. Jackson sustained stab wounds to the leg and head during the attack. In a desperate act to save his life, he disarmed the herdsman and fatally stabbed him.

Despite arguing that he acted purely in self-defence, Jackson was convicted and sentenced to death. The Nigerian Supreme Court upheld the conviction on March 7, 2025, stating that the threat had ceased once the knife was wrested away, and that the fatal stab was unjustified.

However, one of the Justices dissented, maintaining that Jackson still faced imminent danger and that his actions fell within the bounds of self-defence.

Constitutional Concerns and Legal Arguments

The coalition questions whether state laws—particularly Section 222(2) of the Penal Code—can override federal constitutional protections. The petition asserts that:

“A person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of their life if the force used was reasonably necessary to defend against unlawful violence or to protect property.” (Section 33(2)(a), 1999 Constitution)

It argues that the Penal Code, originally enacted during Nigeria’s First Republic, now exists under a unified constitutional framework and must be subordinate to the Constitution’s supremacy clause in Section 1(3).

Call for Executive Intervention

The coalition calls on the AGF to:

• Refer the case back to the Supreme Court for constitutional clarification on the scope of self-defence in Nigerian law.

• Convene or support amicus curiae (friends of the court) submissions from legal experts and civil society groups across Nigeria’s 36 states.

• Declare a temporary moratorium on executions, especially in cases involving disputed self-defence claims.

• Undertake a full review of death penalty convictions where self-defence was a significant issue.

The petition reads:

“The perception of danger does not vanish the moment a weapon is removed, especially in close-quarter combat. The right to life is meaningless if people cannot defend themselves without fear of wrongful conviction.”

Broader Implications

The coalition warns that the Supreme Court’s majority ruling in Sunday Jackson v. The State may establish a dangerous precedent, discouraging lawful self-defence and enabling impunity for violent attacks on vulnerable populations.

“This judgment threatens to criminalise the survival instinct, punishing victims while ignoring systemic failures in protection and justice delivery.”

Justice Beyond Legal Technicalities

The petition concludes with a powerful reminder to the AGF:

“Justice must not only be legally sound, but humane and fair. Sunday Jackson acted under mortal threat. If the state could not protect him, it must not punish him for surviving.”

Petitioning Organisations

The petition was endorsed by a diverse international coalition, including:

• Hope Behind Bars Africa

• Widows & Orphans USA

• US Nigeria Law Group, Washington DC

• Boss Continental Consults

• Overseas Fellowship of Nigerian Christians (OFNC UK)