The supreme court of Nigeria has sentenced to death by hanging one Sunday Jackson of ADAMAWA State for killing a Fulani herdsman in self-defense. The incident occurred on February 11, 2021, in Adamawa State, when the herdsman attacked Jackson with a machete, intending to kill him. Despite Jackson’s claim that he acted purely in self-defense, the Supreme Court of Nigeria upheld a lower court’s verdict, ruling that he should have fled instead of retaliating after disarming his attacker.
The judgment has sparked outrage and renewed calls for legal reforms, particularly concerning the right to self-defense in life-threatening situations. Jackson’s defense argued that he had no choice but to fight back to save his own life. However, the court ruled that he was guilty of murder, stating that once Jackson had disarmed his attacker, he should have fled instead of retaliating.
The case has raised concerns about the application of justice in Nigeria, with critics arguing that the ruling fails to account for the realities of violent attacks in rural Nigeria, where victims often have no access to law enforcement or immediate help. Jackson’s only remaining hope lies in presidential clemency or intervention by human rights organizations.
