Christian man stabbed in Fulani attack sentenced to death by hanging for killing in self-defense

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the death sentence of a Christian man, Sunday Jackson, who defended himself against an attack by Fulani herdsmen.

Attorney and international human rights advocate Emmanuel Ogebe condemned the March 7 ruling as a “horrendous miscarriage of justice.” He asserted that the original trial judge, Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida, misinterpreted the facts of the case in her 2021 verdict, substituting personal opinion for evidence. Jackson had been imprisoned for several years after herdsmen attacked his farm in Adamawa State.

During the attack, one of the assailants stabbed Jackson, who managed to wrest the knife away and used it to fatally stab his attacker in self-defense. Despite sustaining injuries, Jackson was charged with intentional homicide under Section 211 of the Adamawa State Penal Code. The judge ruled that he should have fled instead of fighting back, despite constitutional provisions allowing self-defense.

Ogebe argued that the trial was flawed, highlighting that Jackson was detained for six years before a five-day trial, followed by a 167-day delay before sentencing—well beyond the constitutionally mandated 90-day period.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed outrage over the verdict, calling it discriminatory and unjust. CAN leaders, including Chairman John Joseph Hayab and Secretary General for Northern Nigeria Bishop Mohammed Naga, have appealed to Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to grant Jackson clemency under his constitutional prerogative of mercy.

Nigeria ranks seventh on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List for Christian persecution, with 3,100 of the 4,476 Christians killed for their faith worldwide occurring in Nigeria. The country remains one of the most dangerous places for Christians, facing attacks from Fulani militias and jihadist groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, and the newly emerging Lakurawa in the northwest.