By

Jide Oyewusi

SIR: This is an open plea with Nigeria’s leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invoke his power of prerogative of mercy as contained in Chapter 6 Part 1 Section 175 of the Nigeria’s Constitution to set free Mr. Sunday Jackson, who in a feat of self defence killed a Fulani herder, who had attacked him violently.

The death sentence recently served on the accused by the Supreme Court was obviously without due consideration for the injury Jackson suffered during the course of the unprovoked violent attack.

By stabbing the accused in the leg, the evil intention of the late Fulani herder was already established and nobody would have expected the accused to fold his hands and watch life snuffed out of him without any form of self defence.

Jackson has spent up to 10 years under incarceration which is even enough punishment for trying to defend himself. The President should, therefore, use his good office in invoking his power of prerogative of mercy to set the man now on death row free. Jackson should not be killed for defending himself and killing his assailant in the process. Jide Oyewusi is the coordinator of Ethics Watch International Nigeria.

In this article