PFN seeks Fintiri’s pardon for Adamawa resident who killed attacker in ‘self-defence’

David Bakare, the secretary-general of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has appealed to Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, to pardon Sunday Jackson, who killed his attacker in self-defence.

Jackson was reportedly cultivating his farm when a suspected herder, armed with a knife, attempted to attack him.

He was said to have overpowered his aggressor in self-defence, resulting in the herder’s death.

In a ruling in 2021, an Adamawa high court sentenced Jackson to death for the killing.

The court held that Jackson had the opportunity to escape rather than stab his attacker.

On March 7, the supreme court upheld the ruling of the high court.

In an interview on Tuesday, Bakare asked the governor in the spirit of love to show mercy to Jackson, noting that everyone seeks mercy from God.

“There are many reasons why we feel the judgment should be better, but the supreme court has acted supremely, but the governor should act by the mercy that is supreme over judgment,” the clergyman said.

“He should grant Jackson pardon in the spirit of love and for the fact that all of us are pleading for mercy from God.

“Among ourselves, we should grant mercy in the spirit of the season of sacrifice of fasting and prayers by both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. This is our desire and our plea.”

Emmanuel Ogebe, an international human rights lawyer, had in an interview with Arise TV criticised the apex court’s judgment, saying that the world should be alarmed by “this very unfortunate precedent”.

Ogebe recounted how he took on the case to defend the accused after recognising it as a clear case of self-defence.

Also speaking during the interview, William Devlin, a US-based human rights advocate, claimed that the Nigerian justice system failed Jackson.

Devlin argued that the supreme ruling upholding Jackson’s death sentence did not last up to three minutes.

He said Jackson’s case has gained international attention, adding that they will continue to advocate for him.