By Samson Adamu
Adamawa Post
December 23, 2025
Yola — Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has granted a state pardon to Sunday Jackson, an Adamawa farmer who was on death row following a Supreme Court conviction, leading to his release from prison on Tuesday.
The pardon was approved under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which empowers state governors to exercise the prerogative of mercy. Government sources confirmed that the decision followed extensive consultations and appeals from community leaders, civil society organizations, human rights advocates, and concerned stakeholders.
Sunday Jackson had been incarcerated for more than a decade over a fatal incident that occurred in 2015 on his farmland. The case, which involved the death of a herdsman during a violent confrontation, was consistently presented by Jackson and his supporters as an act of self-defense. Despite this claim, the conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court, placing him on death row.
The case attracted national and international attention and reignited debates around self-defense laws, farmers–herders conflicts, and the broader challenges within Nigeria’s criminal justice system. Advocacy groups repeatedly called for clemency, citing humanitarian considerations, the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the length of time Jackson had already spent in custody.
Sources within the state government disclosed that the governor’s decision was informed by considerations of justice, mercy, and reconciliation, as well as the need to promote social harmony in a state that has witnessed recurrent communal tensions.
Reactions to the pardon have been largely positive, with many describing it as a compassionate intervention and a step toward restorative justice.
Gov. Fintiri Grants Pardon, Frees Adamawa Farmer Sunday Jackson from Death Row
