Who is Sunday Jackson, Pardoned After Death Row Sentence?

Sunday Jackson, a farmer from Adamawa State who was sentenced to death for killing herdsman Buba Bawuro in 2021, has been granted a pardon.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by Humwashi Wonosikou, the chief press secretary to the governor of Adamawa State. Funke Adeoye, founder of Hope Behind Bars, also confirmed the news to FIJ.

“Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri CON, has granted pardon to Sunday Jackson, who was sentenced to death…. Jackson, who is in Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, has been pardoned…The pardon is in commemoration of Christmas and New Year celebrations,” the statement reads.

WHO IS SUNDAY JACKSON?

Until 2015, Sunday Jackson was a farmer in the Dong Community of Demsa Local Government Area (LGA) in Adamawa State. The incident that led to his death sentence occurred when Buba Bawuro, a herdsman, brought his cattle onto Jackson’s farm, damaging his crops.

When Jackson confronted Bawuro, the herdsman attacked him with a knife. Although Jackson was injured, he managed to defend himself and fatally stabbed Bawuro.

Despite claiming self-defence, the Yola High Court convicted Jackson in 2021, sentencing him to death. The ruling judge, Fatima Ahmed Tafida, argued that Jackson could have fled after disarming Bawuro. His actions were judged as punishable under Section 211 of the Penal Code.

In March, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, disappointing human rights advocates and legal experts.

At the time of his pardon, Jackson was held in Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja. “He wasn’t imprisoned in Kuje throughout his captivity. He was only brought there recently and was in maximum security prisons for almost 11 years,” Emmanuel Ogebe, Jackson’s lawyer, told FIJ.

The pardon comes as part of the state’s celebrations for Christmas and New Year, offering relief to Jackson after years on death row.