In a passionate and emotionally charged press conference held today in Yola, the Gongola Peoples Forum (GPF), a prominent socio-cultural organization representing the indigenous ethnic nationalities of the Gongola region in Adamawa State, made a compelling plea to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
The group urged the governor to exercise his constitutional prerogative of mercy to grant a pardon to Mr. Sunday Jackson, a man sentenced to death by hanging following a controversial court ruling.
Engr. Markus Gundiri, speaking on behalf of the GPF, opened the conference with a clear statement of purpose. “We are here today not to challenge the judgments of the courts, but to appeal to the humanity and authority vested in the Governor of Adamawa State,” he declared.
The case in question revolves around Jackson, a subsistence farmer, who was convicted of murder after a fatal altercation with a nomadic herdsman a decade ago. According to the GPF, the incident stemmed from an unprovoked attack on Jackson, who acted in self-defense—a claim that has failed to sway the courts.
The GPF provided a detailed recounting of the events that led to Jackson’s conviction. On the day of the incident, Jackson was working on his farm when he was accosted by a herdsman wielding a knife.
The herdsman attacked Jackson, inflicting wounds on the back of his head and leg. In the ensuing struggle, Jackson managed to wrest the knife from his assailant and, in a desperate bid to protect his life, inflicted fatal injuries on the herdsman.
What followed was a decade-long legal battle that saw Jackson incarcerated while his case progressed through Nigeria’s judicial system, culminating in a Supreme Court ruling affirming his death sentence.
The GPF highlighted that the apex court’s decision was not unanimous, with a split verdict that included dissenting opinions from one or two justices out of the five-member panel.
The majority ruling held that Jackson, having disarmed his attacker, should have discarded the weapon and fled rather than using it against the herdsman.
“The court found that Jackson should have thrown away the knife and escaped,” Gundiri noted, his voice tinged with frustration. “That is the law—right even when it acts like an ass.” He argued that such an expectation was unrealistic for a man of Jackson’s background—a poor, rural farmer with no formal training in de-escalation or combat.
The GPF’s appeal hinges on Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which grants the governor the power to pardon, grant respite, or remit sentences imposed by the courts. “This provision exists for moments like this,” Gundiri emphasized, “where the strict application of the law appears to be a travesty of justice.”
The group outlined several extenuating circumstances they believe warrant the governor’s intervention:
Self-Defense: Jackson was unarmed and working peacefully when the herdsman attacked him without provocation.
Disparity in Aggression: The herdsman initiated the violence with a dangerous weapon, leaving Jackson with little choice but to defend himself.
Personal Toll: Jackson has spent the last 10 years in prison, during which his family life has disintegrated. His wife remarried, and he has never met his 10-year-old daughter, born shortly after his arrest.
Judicial Dissent: The Supreme Court’s split decision suggests reasonable doubt about the appropriateness of the death penalty in this case.
“Sunday Jackson comes from a very poor background but was hopeful that acting in self-defense on his farm was a just and manly thing,” Gundiri said. “The law has treated him shabbily.”
The GPF framed Jackson’s case as emblematic of a larger issue plaguing the Gongola valley and other agrarian communities across Nigeria: recurring clashes between subsistence farmers and nomadic herders.
“Jackson’s case is one of thousands turned bloody because a young man was determined to defend himself,” Gundiri stated, referencing the constitutional right to self-defense.
Yet, he lamented, the courts did not grant Jackson this benefit, instead interpreting his actions as murder.
“We are calling on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to save democracy and the rule of law from this legalistic manifestation,” Gundiri urged. “Let Sunday Jackson breathe fresh air and live.”
The press conference concluded with a resounding appeal to the governor, the people of Adamawa State, and the Nigerian public. The GPF praised the media for its ongoing scrutiny of the case and solicited continued support to amplify their message. “We join the whole world to ask the Governor to grant a state pardon to Sunday Jackson,” Gundiri declared, his voice rising with conviction.
As the event drew to a close, the GPF expressed hope that Governor Fintiri would heed their call, invoking blessings on the governor, Adamawa State, and the nation at large.
The signed statement, bearing Engr. Markus Gundiri’s name, underscored the group’s unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and the rule of law.
For now, Sunday Jackson’s fate hangs in the balance, his life dependent on the governor’s discretion. As the GPF awaits a response, their plea reverberates across Adamawa State, a poignant reminder of the tension between legal rigidity and human compassion.
