Imagine being attacked on your own farm, fighting for your life—only to be sentenced to death for defending yourself. Sounds unbelievable, right? Unfortunately, this is the tragic reality for Sunday Jackson, a Nigerian farmer who found himself caught between survival and a flawed justice system.
In 2015, Sunday Jackson, a 29-year-old farmer and student from Dong community in Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, was tending to his farm in Kodomti, Numan Local Government Area, when a herdsman, Buba Bawuro, led his cattle onto the farm to graze on Jackson’s crops. A confrontation broke out, and in the heat of the moment, Bawuro pulled out a knife and stabbed Jackson multiple times. In a desperate attempt to save his own life, Jackson managed to overpower his attacker, seize the knife, and stab Bawuro, resulting in his death.
Justice Denied
Despite clear evidence of self-defense, Jackson was arrested, charged with murder, and sentenced to death by a lower court in Yola. His appeal reached the Supreme Court, which upheld the ruling, fueling widespread outrage and raising critical questions about the fairness of Nigeria’s legal system.
In February 2021, the presiding judge issued a troubling verdict. She ruled that because Jackson had confessed to killing the herdsman, he too must die by hanging. The fact that he had acted in self-defense seemed irrelevant in the eyes of the court.
A Bigger Problem
Sunday Jackson’s case is not an isolated incident. Across Nigeria, there have been numerous instances where individuals defending themselves from attacks have found themselves facing severe legal consequences, while actual perpetrators of violence walk free.
For decades, violent disputes over farmland have escalated between Fulani herders and non-Fulani farmers, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. While these conflicts are fundamentally about land use, they have taken on ethnic and religious dimensions. Many farmers, who are predominantly Christian, feel targeted by Fulani herders, who are mostly Muslim. In Northwestern Nigeria, similar tensions exist, where even Hausa farmers—who are themselves Muslim—have suffered attacks from armed groups.
Thousands of lives have been lost, and yet, there is a noticeable imbalance in how justice is served. More Nigerians have been sentenced to death for defending themselves against Fulani attacks than there are Fulani herdsmen convicted of similar crimes. This raises serious concerns about the judicial system’s treatment of self-defense cases and the seeming lack of accountability for violent perpetrators.
What Can We Do About It?
- Raise Awareness – Share Sunday Jackson’s story and others like it to bring attention to the injustices faced by victims of attacks.
- Support Advocacy Groups – Organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are actively working to promote justice and human rights.
- Demand Justice – Contact your local representatives, sign petitions, and participate in peaceful protests to push for fair treatment of those who defend themselves.
- Support Victims’ Families – Consider donating to organizations that provide aid to families affected by violence and wrongful convictions.
Justice should not be a privilege—it should be a right for all Nigerians. If we stay silent, more people like Sunday Jackson will continue to suffer unjustly. It’s time to take a stand.