In a significant act of executive clemency, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has granted a state pardon to Sunday Jackson, the farmer who was on death row for killing a herder during a confrontation on his farmland.
Christmas Clemency Brings Freedom
The official announcement of the pardon was made on Tuesday, December 24, 2025, by the governor's spokesperson, Humwashi Wonosikou. The decision was taken as part of the state's Christmas and New Year clemency programme.
Sunday Jackson was awaiting execution at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja before the governor's intervention. He was pardoned alongside two other inmates. Furthermore, Governor Fintiri approved the remission of the remaining jail terms for five other prisoners. This was based on recommendations from the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, citing the inmates' good conduct and noticeable behavioural improvement.
A Case That Drew National and International Scrutiny
Jackson's case had been a focal point of intense public debate and legal scrutiny. Reports indicated that the farmer was injured while attempting to chase herders off his farmland. A subsequent struggle with one herder led to the herder's death, a situation Jackson's supporters argued was an act of self-defence.
Earlier in the year, the Supreme Court of Nigeria upheld the death sentence passed on Jackson. This ruling triggered widespread criticism across Nigeria and from international observers who questioned the application of the death penalty in the context of farmer-herder clashes.
The case gained international prominence when, in November 2025, US Congressman Riley Moore publicly urged the Nigerian government to pardon Jackson. Congressman Moore described the incident as self-defence and challenged the fairness of the death penalty in such circumstances. The case was later referenced during discussions in the US Congress concerning Nigeria's human rights record.
Jubilation in Yola as Justice is Served
The news of the pardon was met with immediate and widespread celebration in the state capital, Yola. Residents poured into the streets in jubilation, with parts of the city experiencing temporary shutdowns as people expressed their joy.
Many residents described Governor Fintiri's decision as a long-overdue act of justice. The spontaneous celebrations underscored the deep public interest and divided opinions that had surrounded the high-profile case, which touched on the sensitive and often deadly conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria.
