• About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Friday, September 12, 2025
Daily Intel Newspapers
  • Login
  • Welcome
  • Special reports
    • All
    • Unedited for the record
    Nepal lifts social media ban after deadly protest

    Nepal lifts social media ban after deadly protest

    Fight against insurgency: Middle-belt Forum hail FG, Israel security pact

    UN strongly condemn Borno attack that claimed 63 lives, including soldiers

    PANDEF back Tinubu’s state police proposal

    PANDEF back Tinubu’s state police proposal

    Canada’s economy sheds over 60,000 jobs in August

    Canada’s economy sheds over 60,000 jobs in August

    Embrace Igbo identity, Senator Nwoko urges Anioma people

    Embrace Igbo identity, Senator Nwoko urges Anioma people

    NCDMB outlines achievements,charges media, youth groups on social responsibility

    NCDMB outlines achievements,charges media, youth groups on social responsibility

  • Metro News
    Doctors in FCT commence warning strike, cite systemic failure, infrastructure decay, others

    Doctors in FCT commence warning strike, cite systemic failure, infrastructure decay, others

    Teachers, health workers strike,others:  Wike gets fresh ultimatum from FCT workers

    FCTA clears 1,000 shanties in Abuja district

    FCT set up committee to probe sales of FG houses, parks

    FCT set up committee to probe sales of FG houses, parks

    Imo government move to end open grazing in Owerri, issues two-week ultimatum to herders

    Imo government move to end open grazing in Owerri, issues two-week ultimatum to herders

    Lagos Assembly move to enact law to regulate house rents, agents, others

    Lagos Assembly move to enact law to regulate house rents, agents, others

    Teachers, health workers strike,others:  Wike gets fresh ultimatum from FCT workers

    Wike launch operation to flush street beggars, one- chance syndicate, others in FCT

  • Latest News
    • All
    • Crime watch
    Trump says  killer of Charlie Kirk now in custody

    Trump says killer of Charlie Kirk now in custody

    Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne dies at 56

    Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne dies at 56

    Selection of new VC: NOUN governing council pledge fairness to all contestants

    Selection of new VC: NOUN governing council pledge fairness to all contestants

    Gov Sani flag-off Jaba-Kwoi road reconstruction

    Gov Sani flag-off Jaba-Kwoi road reconstruction

    Nigeria’s resident doctors begins five-day warning strike

    Nigeria’s resident doctors begins five-day warning strike

    Kebbi gov suspends commissioner for health after social media viral video

    Kebbi gov suspends commissioner for health after social media viral video

    Trending Tags

  • Infotech
    NIMC partners online publishers to boost digital security through NIN enrollment

    NIMC partners online publishers to boost digital security through NIN enrollment

    Facebook set new monetization rules for creators who uses other people content

    Facebook set new monetization rules for creators who uses other people content

    Senate approves restoration of Aniocha North II State Constituency, Delta

    Bill mandating social media platforms to have physical office, records of employees pass second reading at the Senate

    Nigeria investigated  213 privacy breaches in 2024-NDPC

    Nigeria investigated 213 privacy breaches in 2024-NDPC

    FG begins construction of emerging technologies Institute in Kano

    FG begins construction of emerging technologies Institute in Kano

    MTN denies orchestrating poor network to influence FG, labour talk, apologizes for network fluctuations

    MTN shuns Labour-FG committee on tariff review, hike data tariff by 200%

  • World conflict & diplomacy
    Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan – Official

    Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan – Official

    Ukraine conflict: Trump and Putin end Alaska summit without deal

    Ukraine conflict: Trump and Putin end Alaska summit without deal

    Rwanda-backed rebels kill hundreds in DRC despite U.S.-sanctioned ceasefire

    Rwanda-backed rebels kill hundreds in DRC despite U.S.-sanctioned ceasefire

    Sudan claims army destroys Emirati aircraft, killing Colombian mercenaries

    Sudan claims army destroys Emirati aircraft, killing Colombian mercenaries

    UK prime minister back US military strikes on Iran ‘s nuclear sites

    UK prime minister back US military strikes on Iran ‘s nuclear sites

    Israel bombs Iran’s heavy water reactor, says state television

    Israel bombs Iran’s heavy water reactor, says state television

  • Security
    Fight against insurgency: Middle-belt Forum hail FG, Israel security pact

    Fight against insurgency: Middle-belt Forum hail FG, Israel security pact

    Police, Omatekun, confirms the kidnap of seven farmers in Ondo

    Fear of attack grips Kwara NYSC over suspicious movements around camp

    Nwifuru demands arrest of killers of 13 Ebonyi indigenes in Anambra

    Nwifuru demands arrest of killers of 13 Ebonyi indigenes in Anambra

    State police only solution to Benue killings, others- Adams

    State police only solution to Benue killings, others- Adams

    Female suicide bomber kills 24, injure  scores in Borno community

    Female suicide bomber kills 24, injure scores in Borno community

    Obi calls for immediate end to violence against Benue communities

    Obi calls for immediate end to violence against Benue communities

No Result
View All Result
  • Welcome
  • Special reports
    • All
    • Unedited for the record
    Nepal lifts social media ban after deadly protest

    Nepal lifts social media ban after deadly protest

    Fight against insurgency: Middle-belt Forum hail FG, Israel security pact

    UN strongly condemn Borno attack that claimed 63 lives, including soldiers

    PANDEF back Tinubu’s state police proposal

    PANDEF back Tinubu’s state police proposal

    Canada’s economy sheds over 60,000 jobs in August

    Canada’s economy sheds over 60,000 jobs in August

    Embrace Igbo identity, Senator Nwoko urges Anioma people

    Embrace Igbo identity, Senator Nwoko urges Anioma people

    NCDMB outlines achievements,charges media, youth groups on social responsibility

    NCDMB outlines achievements,charges media, youth groups on social responsibility

  • Metro News
    Doctors in FCT commence warning strike, cite systemic failure, infrastructure decay, others

    Doctors in FCT commence warning strike, cite systemic failure, infrastructure decay, others

    Teachers, health workers strike,others:  Wike gets fresh ultimatum from FCT workers

    FCTA clears 1,000 shanties in Abuja district

    FCT set up committee to probe sales of FG houses, parks

    FCT set up committee to probe sales of FG houses, parks

    Imo government move to end open grazing in Owerri, issues two-week ultimatum to herders

    Imo government move to end open grazing in Owerri, issues two-week ultimatum to herders

    Lagos Assembly move to enact law to regulate house rents, agents, others

    Lagos Assembly move to enact law to regulate house rents, agents, others

    Teachers, health workers strike,others:  Wike gets fresh ultimatum from FCT workers

    Wike launch operation to flush street beggars, one- chance syndicate, others in FCT

  • Latest News
    • All
    • Crime watch
    Trump says  killer of Charlie Kirk now in custody

    Trump says killer of Charlie Kirk now in custody

    Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne dies at 56

    Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne dies at 56

    Selection of new VC: NOUN governing council pledge fairness to all contestants

    Selection of new VC: NOUN governing council pledge fairness to all contestants

    Gov Sani flag-off Jaba-Kwoi road reconstruction

    Gov Sani flag-off Jaba-Kwoi road reconstruction

    Nigeria’s resident doctors begins five-day warning strike

    Nigeria’s resident doctors begins five-day warning strike

    Kebbi gov suspends commissioner for health after social media viral video

    Kebbi gov suspends commissioner for health after social media viral video

    Trending Tags

  • Infotech
    NIMC partners online publishers to boost digital security through NIN enrollment

    NIMC partners online publishers to boost digital security through NIN enrollment

    Facebook set new monetization rules for creators who uses other people content

    Facebook set new monetization rules for creators who uses other people content

    Senate approves restoration of Aniocha North II State Constituency, Delta

    Bill mandating social media platforms to have physical office, records of employees pass second reading at the Senate

    Nigeria investigated  213 privacy breaches in 2024-NDPC

    Nigeria investigated 213 privacy breaches in 2024-NDPC

    FG begins construction of emerging technologies Institute in Kano

    FG begins construction of emerging technologies Institute in Kano

    MTN denies orchestrating poor network to influence FG, labour talk, apologizes for network fluctuations

    MTN shuns Labour-FG committee on tariff review, hike data tariff by 200%

  • World conflict & diplomacy
    Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan – Official

    Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan – Official

    Ukraine conflict: Trump and Putin end Alaska summit without deal

    Ukraine conflict: Trump and Putin end Alaska summit without deal

    Rwanda-backed rebels kill hundreds in DRC despite U.S.-sanctioned ceasefire

    Rwanda-backed rebels kill hundreds in DRC despite U.S.-sanctioned ceasefire

    Sudan claims army destroys Emirati aircraft, killing Colombian mercenaries

    Sudan claims army destroys Emirati aircraft, killing Colombian mercenaries

    UK prime minister back US military strikes on Iran ‘s nuclear sites

    UK prime minister back US military strikes on Iran ‘s nuclear sites

    Israel bombs Iran’s heavy water reactor, says state television

    Israel bombs Iran’s heavy water reactor, says state television

  • Security
    Fight against insurgency: Middle-belt Forum hail FG, Israel security pact

    Fight against insurgency: Middle-belt Forum hail FG, Israel security pact

    Police, Omatekun, confirms the kidnap of seven farmers in Ondo

    Fear of attack grips Kwara NYSC over suspicious movements around camp

    Nwifuru demands arrest of killers of 13 Ebonyi indigenes in Anambra

    Nwifuru demands arrest of killers of 13 Ebonyi indigenes in Anambra

    State police only solution to Benue killings, others- Adams

    State police only solution to Benue killings, others- Adams

    Female suicide bomber kills 24, injure  scores in Borno community

    Female suicide bomber kills 24, injure scores in Borno community

    Obi calls for immediate end to violence against Benue communities

    Obi calls for immediate end to violence against Benue communities

No Result
View All Result
Daily Intel Newspapers
No Result
View All Result
Support Us Support Us Support Us
Home Opinion

Sunday Jackson is a victim of a miscarriage of justice | By Chidi Odinkalu

Daily Intel Newspaper by Daily Intel Newspaper
March 30, 2025
Nigeria’s hostages in law | Opinion by Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

#image_title

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterChat With Us Live

Numan, the town that lends its name to one of the 21 Local Government Areas in Adamawa State in north-east Nigeria, is home to the Bwatiye (Bachama), a transnational identity group stretching into parts of Cameroon. Located in the basin of Benue River and one of its tributaries, River Taraba, Numan’s fecund lands play host to vast energies in sedentary agriculture. Fulbe pastoralists have for long also found it welcoming for grazing their herds.

These factors have made Numan a major frontier in the murderous livelihood conflict that has pitted sedentary farmers and armed pastoralists in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. Described as a crisis “over scarce land and water resources” this conflict is estimated to have “claimed the lives of around 10,000 Nigerians” in the period since about 2013. It is widely recognized as the second most deadly conflict in Nigeria after the Boko Haram crisis.

For nearly three years until 2018, Numan was the site of a murderous war between sedentary farmers and armed pastoralists. No one knows the number who lost their lives in this conflict. James Courtright, who researched the situation wrote in 2023 that “by the time the crisis ended in January 2018, around 150 people were dead, a dozen villages burned to the ground and hundreds of Fulbe who had called Numan home had fled.” Tens of thousands were reportedly displaced. This crisis even became the subject of litigation before the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court of Justice).

On 5 December 2017, Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo SAN, visited Adamawa State to see things for himself. Subsequently, the federal government arranged to distribute emergency relief materials to affected communities including Dong, Lawaru, and Kukumso in Demsa LGA; as well as “Shafaron, Kodomti, Tullum, Mzoruwe and Mararraban Bare in Numan Local Government Area.” Amidst these developments, the federal government launched what ultimately proved to be an inconclusive “series of national consultations with all relevant groups designed to find a lasting solution to the farmers-herders conflict in parts of the country.”

The events in Kodomti village during this crisis were to become the subject of prosecutorial interest which worked its way up to the Supreme Court, coming to a decision on 7 March 2025. On 27 January 2015, an incident occurred in a farm in Kodomti belonging to Sunday Jackson. By the time the dust had settled, Alhaji Ardo Bawuro lay dead, victim of three stab wounds in the neck at the hands of Sunday Jackson.

 The Adamawa State Director of Public Prosecutions arraigned Sunday Jackson on one count of culpable homicide punishable with death (murder) for the killing of Ardo Bawuro. On 10 February 2021, the High Court of Adamawa State convicted and sentenced Sunday Jackson to death. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 20 July 2022. From there he appealed to the Supreme Court.

The evidence relied on by the courts was straightforward. There was a coroner’s report but the judgment does not mention a pathologist’s report. According to Sunday Jackson’s statement to the police:

“On Tuesday, 27/01/15 at about 11:10 hrs, I left my village and was cutting thatching grasses (sic) in a bush located in Kodomti village in Numan LGA when the deceased, Alh Buba Bawuro as identified attacked me after loosing (sic) sight of some persons alleged to be pursuing (sic) for killing his cattle. He attacked me in frustration and wanted to stab me with a dagger then we engaged in a wrestling encounter. I succeeded in seizing the dagger from him which I used to stab him thrice on his throat. When the deceased collapsed and was rolling down in a pool of his blood, I took heels and escaped.”

In its judgment on 7 March 2025 delivered by Justice Baba Idris, the Supreme Court determined that this statement was a confession and simultaneously also raised issues of self-defence which had to be considered.

In Nigeria, self-defence is a constitutionally guaranteed right. In criminal law, it is also total exoneration to a charge of murder.

According to the court, four conditions must be present for self-defence to succeed. First, the accused must be free from fault in bringing about the encounter leading to death. Second, there must be present an impending peril to life or of grievous bodily harm. Third, there must be no safe or reasonable mode of escape. Fourth, there must be a necessity for taking of life.

The Supreme Court found that the first and second conditions were fulfilled in the case of Sunday Jackson. As to the last two conditions, the court said that “there was a reasonable mode of escape by retreat and there was no necessity to take the life of the deceased.” It did so notwithstanding that there was nothing in evidence about how safe it was to retreat. Consequently, the court held that “the defence of self-defence is not available on a closer consideration of the evidence, and in the light of the circumstances of this particular case.” The court also dismissed any possibility of a defence of provocation, which would have reduced the crime to manslaughter.

In his concurring judgment, Justice Haruna Tsammani said: “on the facts as narrated…., I am of the view that [Sunday Jackson] inflicted more harm than was necessary for the purpose of defending himself. Having overpowered the deceased and collected the dagger from him, a stab would not be considered excessive. It is also my view that [Sunday Jackson] acted in a vengeful manner by stabbing the deceased trice (sic) in the neck; a person he had overpowered.”

This statement by Justice Tsammani is at the heart of the three flaws with this judgment. One is a matter of law and evidence: The Supreme Court believed it was alright for Sunday Jackson to have stabbed Ardo Bawuro once, but not thrice. But there was no evidence before the court as to which of the three stab wounds killed Ardo Bawuro.

It is possible that it was the first stab wound; or the second; or the third. That determination is a matter of evidence and, in criminal law, establishing what killed the Ardo Bawuro was the responsibility of the prosecution. If he was killed by the first stab, then the claim by the court that three stab wounds were too many is demonstrably gratuitous, and self-defence would have availed. In the absence of that kind of evidence, the court had no basis for excluding self-defence.

Second, the court imposed an unreasonable standard of assessment, requiring a person whom it found to be in real peril of loss of his life from an assailant with murder or grievous bodily harm on his mind to make assessments that are beyond the capability of any human in the throes of a fight-or-flight struggle.

Third, in suggesting that Sunday Jackson had a reasonable means of escape, the Supreme Court showed almost blissful lack of awareness of the nature of the conflict on the floodplains of the Benue River (and its tributaries). This case arose in a conflict zone between livelihood and identity groups. The standard of evidentiary assessment deployed by the Supreme Court required Sunday Jackson to possess almost divine knowledge of the surrounding circumstances. Asking him to run in the middle of this required him to be certain that there was no other danger around him. There was no way that he or anyone could in the middle of an active conflict zone have attained that degree of knowledge or awareness.

The miracle in this case is how the court reached a unanimous judgment.

The Supreme Court, we are reminded, is the last bus-stop on legal disputes. Yet, in nearly every case presented for judicial resolution, we find ourselves not merely before the court of law but also before courts of public opinion, of precedent, and of posterity. The judgment in Sunday Jackson’s case is bad law, bad precedent, and bad policy. It is perverse on the scale of a miscarriage of justice. Sunday Jackson is eminently deserving of the exercise of the prerogative of mercy by the Governor of Adamawa State.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu

Share187Tweet117SendShare
Support Us Support Us Support Us
Daily Intel Newspaper

Daily Intel Newspaper

Next Post
Tinubu appoints Oloriegbe as NHIA chairman

Tinubu appoints Oloriegbe as NHIA chairman

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

POPULAR POST

  • CBN directs Moniepoint, others to stop registering new customers

    CBN gives Moniepoint, OPay, others go ahead to onboard new customers

    791 shares
    Share 316 Tweet 198
  • South-East importers, exporters threaten strike over Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s 200% rates hike

    649 shares
    Share 260 Tweet 162
  • BREAKING: President Tinubu approves the reappointment of Adaji as DG of NBC

    634 shares
    Share 254 Tweet 159
  • Nigeria’s foreign reserves records $1.8bn fall in two months

    543 shares
    Share 217 Tweet 136
  • How Imo Chief Judge Theresa Chikeka falsified age, refuse to retire | Opinion by Odinkalu

    532 shares
    Share 213 Tweet 133

STAY CONNECTED

Follow Us

Categories

  • Aviation
  • Business
  • Citizen reporter
  • Corruption
  • Crime watch
  • Culture
  • Document
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Finance & economy
  • Foreign News
  • Health
  • Human rights & the people
  • Infotech
  • Interviews
  • Investigation
  • Judiciary
  • Latest News
  • Maritime
  • Metro News
  • News
  • Oil & gas
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Promoted
  • Science & Technology
  • Security
  • Special reports
  • Special updates
  • Sports
  • Unedited for the record
  • World conflict & diplomacy

LATEST NEWS

Trump says  killer of Charlie Kirk now in custody

Trump says killer of Charlie Kirk now in custody

September 12, 2025
Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne dies at 56

Former BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne dies at 56

September 12, 2025
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Donate

© 2025 All Rights Reserved Daily Intel Newspapers

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Special reports
  • Special updates
  • World conflict & diplomacy
  • Infotech
  • Metro News
  • Latest News
    • Human rights & the people
    • Unedited for the record
    • Judiciary
  • Finance & economy
  • Exclusive
  • Security
  • Document
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Infotech
  • Investigation
  • Science & Technology
  • Aviation
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Culture
  • Finance & economy
  • Foreign News
  • Health
  • Corruption
  • Promoted
  • Crime watch

© 2025 All Rights Reserved Daily Intel Newspapers

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In