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United States federal lawmaker Riley Moore has called for the release of a Nigerian citizen, Sunday Jackson, who was convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to death by hanging for killing an armed herdsman who violently attacked him on his farmland.
Mr Moore, speaking in an interview on Fox News, revealed that there was a positive discussion during the recent meeting between the U.S. government and a Nigerian delegation led by the National Security Adviser, 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,” Mr Moore said.
He added, “But there’s a lot of things they can do, and one of the first steps is releasing Sunday Jackson, and another one is working with us to disarm these militants in the middle-belt of the country—the Fulani Islamic radicals that are there.”
In 2015, Mr Jackson, a 29-year-old farmer and student from the Dong community in the Demsa LGA of Adamawa State, was working on his farm in Kodomti, Numan LGA, when Buba Ardo Bawuro, a herdsman, drove his cattle onto the farm to feed on his crops.
When challenged by Mr Jackson, the herdsman pulled out a knife and stabbed the farmer twice. However, a wounded Mr Jackson was able to seize the knife and stab Mr Bawuro in return. The herdsman later died from his wounds.
The police arrested and tried Mr Jackson for culpable homicide at the Yola High Court in Adamawa State. The charge carries a death sentence under Section 211 of the penal code in northern Nigeria.
Following his arraignment in court, Mr Jackson admitted that his attacker died at his hands, but he maintained his innocence of any crime.
The prosecution urged the trial judge, Fatima Ahmed Tafida, to convict Mr Jackson based on his confession, but the farmer’s lawyer countered, praying the court to discharge and acquit his client because he acted in self-defence.
In February 2021, the judge ruled that because Mr Jackson had confessed to killing the herdsman, he too must die by hanging. The farmer’s self-defence claim was worthless to the judge, who said he could have fled the scene after disarming the herdsman.
The judgment stood the test of several appeals, and the Supreme Court affirmed it, bringing an end to Mr Jackson’s chances at a legal lifeline.
Mr Jackson’s conviction has been criticised by several lawyers and activists who argued that the sentencing sets a bad precedent for future judgments.
While Mr Jackson remains on death row, his only chance at freedom is a state pardon by the Adamawa State governor through the attorney general of the state.
Meanwhile, Mr Moore, in the interview, also condemned the recent abduction of several schoolgirls and teachers in the northern part of Nigeria.
The lawmaker charged the Nigerian government to disarm “the radical Muslim Fulani militants terrorising the Middle Belt.”
