The Nigerian Supreme Court has sentenced Adamawa State farmer Sunday Jackson to death by hanging for killing a Fulani herdsman in what many are describing as legitimate self-defense. The court ruled that Jackson should have fled after disarming his attacker rather than using the weapon against him.
International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe strongly contests this reasoning, arguing that Jackson’s injuries made escape impossible. In an Arise TV interview from 7;14, he said: “They are arguing that he had a responsibility to flee. Now, in the US, we have, you know, ‘stand your ground’ rules, which means you can defend yourself as much as you want. Now, here, they’re arguing that, instead of fighting, you should instead take flight.”
Ogebe questioned the reasonableness of this legal standard: “I don’t think that’s a fair requirement to make, given someone who is facing imminent death. Now, just the data alone of all the massacres that have occurred, he couldn’t have known if there were more herdsmen on their way to kill him. He has seen reports of what these people do, and this herdsman guy just stabbed him.”
The lawyer emphasized that Jackson’s leg injuries further undermined the court’s logic: “The evidence shows that he was injured in the leg, and then you say that he should have run. So, he was, at that moment, incapacitated to even be able to run.”
The Legal expert summarized the essential facts of the case: “The issue is that the attacker brought the knife, he overpowered him, and took the knife after he sustained injuries. And this is why I have a problem with that judgment. The facts are not in doubt; this attacker died as a result of the attack he staged by himself. But the circumstances were: he attacked me, I was in fear for my life, and I fought back.” According to him, Jackson might have died if he hadn’t defended himself vigorously against his attacker.
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