Activists demand pardon for farmer sentenced to death in Adamawa
Some human rights activists are pleading with the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, to pardon Sunday Jackson, a farmer sentenced to death for killing a Fulani herdsman, Ardo Bawuro, who allegedly attacked him on his farmland.
The incident occurred seven years ago when Jackson was working on his farm. Reports indicate that Bawuro, armed with a knife, attacked and injured Jackson on his leg and the back of his head. Acting in self-defence, Jackson managed to overpower Bawuro, resulting in the herder’s death.
Despite the circumstances, an Adamawa High Court sentenced Jackson to death in 2021, a ruling that the Supreme Court upheld on March 7, 2025.
The judgment has continued to spark controversy among some activists and lawyers on social media.
A rights activist and criminal justice lawyer, Funke Adeoye, in a post she made on Tuesday, praised Justice Helen Ogunwumiju’s dissenting judgement.
She commended the judge for upholding the constitutional right to life and safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal jurisprudence.
She wrote, “I just read the dissenting judgment delivered by Justice Helen Ogunwumiju in Sunday Jackson v State. By refusing to affirm the execution of a man who lawfully defended himself from an armed herdsman, she upheld the constitutional right to life and safeguarded the integrity of Nigeria’s justice system.
“I urge you (everyone) to join us in calling the Governor of Adamawa State, Fintiri, to act.”
Responding, a UK-based Nigerian who goes by the name Adediran on X.com urged the Adamawa State governor to pardon the convicted Jackson.
@egi- Nupe, a lawyer, also noted, “Only the governor can free Sunday Jackson as we speak.
He added, “In fact, the trial court was the first to note this option in the judgment as reflected in the decision of the Supreme Court.”
Activists are now calling for clemency for Jackson, using the hashtag, #ClemencyforSundayJackson. Injustice is Real commented, “We need #ClemencyforSundayJackson.”
“Thanks for letting us into the dissenting judgment. It’s excellent. Let Gov Fintiri grant #clemencyforsundayjackson ASAP. He has suffered miscarriage of justice at the different levels of the judiciary for so long,” wrote an X.com user, Danny Angbashim.
PUNCH Metro reports that a similar pardon was granted by the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who last December pardoned Segun Olowookere, a widely known “death-for-fowl” convict, along with his co-convict, Sunday Morakinyo.
Olowookere was arrested in November 2010 at the age of 17 and later convicted by an Osun State High Court on December 17, 2014. He was sentenced to death for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, robbery, and stealing.
His case recently gained public attention after his mother appeared on a podcast, pleading for intervention in his situation.
The story went viral on social media, prompting Adeleke to instruct the state’s attorney general to initiate the process for his pardon.
