House Republican Congressman Riley M. Moore has urged the Nigerian government to pardon Sunday Jackson, a farmer sentenced to death after killing a Fulani herdsman who allegedly invaded his farm in self-defense.Moore made the appeal during a congressional hearing on President Donald Trump’s decision to re-designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), citing what he described as widespread persecution of Christians in the country.
Jackson was initially convicted in a 2021 Adamawa high-court ruling, which held that he could have escaped rather than use lethal force. His death sentence was upheld by Nigeria’s Supreme Court in March.
During the hearing, Moore argued that Jackson “was fighting for his own life,” pointing to pervasive insecurity and the perceived impunity of armed Fulani militants. He contrasted Jackson’s sentencing with what he called lax enforcement against Fulani bands allegedly carrying weapons, saying, “Sunday Jackson disarms this person … and protects his own life. He’s going to prison … and Fulani militants … are just roaming … with AK-47s.”
Moore’s intervention joins a chorus of voices calling for clemency. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also appealed to Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to exercise his constitutional power of mercy under Section 212 to spare Jackson’s life. Critics of the court decision—including Christian organizations and civil society groups—argue that Jackson acted in justifiable self-defense.
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