US Lawmaker Urges FG To Pardon Farmer Sentenced To Death For Killing Herdsman
A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has called on the Nigerian government to pardon a farmer, Sunday Jackson, who was sentenced to death for killing a herdsman during a 2015 confrontation in Adamawa State.
Speaking on Thursday during a US House hearing on President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, Moore said the conviction was unjust.
“I would urge the Nigerian government to take a look at pardoning Sunday Jackson, who is an individual who was fighting for his own life, defending his life against one of these Fulani militants,” Moore, a Republican, said during the hearing on Thursday.
“That Fulani militant lost his life in that struggle, and now that person, Sunday Jackson, is facing the death penalty. Where is the justice in that?” he asked.
Moore also highlighted security concerns in Nigeria, adding, “But somehow, these Fulani militants operating in the Middle Belt region of the country, they’re all armed.
“Why hasn’t there been some type of move or campaign by the Nigerian government to disarm these militants that are operating there where we’re seeing a lot of this killing that is coming from them. They have access to AK-47s and other small arms to slaughter Christians.
“Is this something that you’ve been talking to the Nigerian government about? Because I think it would actually have a serious impact.”
Jackson was convicted for killing a herdsman, Buba Bawuro, during a 2015 altercation on his farm in Adamawa State.
He said he acted in self-defence after being attacked.
He was arrested, charged with murder and, after years in detention, sentenced to death by the state high court in 2021 for using the recovered weapon to stab the now-unarmed assailant.
Despite the controversy surrounding the case, the Supreme Court on March 7, 2025 upheld the death sentence.
The Supreme Court ruled that Jackson’s actions amounted to retaliation rather than self-defence, dismissing his appeal and affirming earlier court decisions.
The ruling sparked public concern, with many Nigerians questioning the rejection of his self-defence claim.
