A death row inmate, Mr Sunday Jackson, is set to regain his freedom on Thursday after Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, granted him an executive pardon.
The Adamawa State Commissioner for Justice, Afraimu Jingi, confirmed that all administrative processes required for Jackson’s release were completed on Wednesday. According to him, both electronic and hard copies of the necessary documents had been forwarded to the correctional facility to ensure his immediate release.
“Jackson is expected to be out of prison today. All the required documents have been sent and personally delivered to the correctional authorities. The state government has fulfilled all legal obligations regarding his release,” Jingi said.
Governor Fintiri announced the pardon on Tuesday as part of activities to mark the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Jackson had been sentenced to death by hanging for killing a herder who reportedly attacked him while grazing on his farm.
The governor explained that the decision followed recommendations from the Adamawa State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, which cited good conduct and notable behavioural improvement among the beneficiaries.
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“In the exercise of my constitutional powers and based on the advice of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, I have granted pardon to three persons and approved the remission of sentences for five others,” Fintiri stated.
Jackson’s case had drawn international attention. In November 2025, a member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, appealed to the Nigerian government to grant him a pardon, describing the killing as an act of self-defence. Moore questioned the fairness of imposing the death penalty under such circumstances.
The case was also referenced during discussions in the US Congress on Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of religious persecution.
