Bishops seek pardon for farmer sentenced to death for killing herder

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant clemency to Mr. Sunday Jackson, whose death sentence was recently upheld by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court, on March 7, 2025, affirmed the death sentence of Jackson, a farmer from Adamawa State, for killing a Fulani herdsman, Ardo Bawuro, during an altercation on his farmland.

Jackson, in his 30s, was initially sentenced to death by hanging on February 12, 2012, a verdict he claims resulted from acting in self-defence.

The bishops made their appeal in a communiqué issued at the end of their first plenary meeting in Abuja.

The document, signed by CBCN President, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, and Secretary, Bishop Donatus Ogun, reiterated the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment.

“We reaffirm the stand of the Catholic Church that capital punishment is unacceptable,” the communiqué stated. “We therefore make a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially in light of the Jubilee Year of Hope, to grant pardon to Mr. Sunday Jackson.”

The bishops also criticised the recent closure of schools in some parts of the country, particularly in Kebbi, Katsina, Bauchi, and Kano, where authorities shut down schools for the Ramadan fast.

“We demand that the governments that ordered the closure of all schools in some parts of the country withdraw such orders, considering the rights of children to education and the multi-religious nature of our society,” the communiqué read.

The CBCN emphasised the church’s commitment to education, healthcare, and agriculture as vital components of national development and called for an enabling environment to support these initiatives.

The bishops urged political, religious, and traditional leaders to foster national integration to instill hope and encourage development.

While they commended the government’s efforts in revitalising the petroleum industry, rehabilitating roads, introducing the student loan scheme, implementing a new minimum wage, and addressing the debt service-to-revenue ratio, they noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with serious socio-economic challenges.

“There is a high cost of essential goods, including food. Cases of kidnapping and the mindless killing of innocent people still abound,” the communiqué stated.

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the CBCN encouraged citizens not to succumb to hopelessness but to actively participate in the democratic process.

“Despite disappointments in the conduct of the 2023 general elections, we still encourage all eligible citizens to come out en masse and participate in future elections,” they urged.

They called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, and the judiciary to restore public trust in the electoral system by upholding transparency and fairness.

“We urge our people to refuse to be cowed into silence and helplessness, but rather insist on doing the right thing and having it done.”

The bishops also appealed for urgent reforms in the nation’s correctional facilities. They urged the federal and state governments to decongest overcrowded custodial centers by granting parole to well-behaved minor offenders.

“We enjoin the government to uphold fundamental rights of inmates, treat them with dignity, adopt non-custodial measures where applicable, expedite justice delivery, and rehabilitate correctional facilities,” they stated.

The CBCN’s call underscores the church’s broader push for justice, human dignity, and systemic reforms to foster national unity and development.