THE Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, has granted a pardon to Sunday Jackson, a death-row inmate, as part of the state’s Christmas and New Year goodwill gestures.
According to a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, Jackson—currently held at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre—was pardoned alongside Joseph Eugene of the Yola Medium Security Custodial Centre and Maxwell Ibrahim, who is serving his sentence in Kaduna.
The pardon follows international attention on Jackson’s case after a member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, urged the Nigerian government to grant him clemency.
Moore had described the death sentence as unjust, arguing that Jackson acted in self-defence during an attack.
Speaking during a U.S. House hearing on the redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, Moore questioned the fairness of condemning a man who was fighting for his life.
In addition to the three full pardons, Governor Fintiri also approved sentence remissions for five other inmates—Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Usman, and Saidu Abubakar—serving time at the Medium Security Custodial Centres in Numan and Jada.
The governor explained that the decisions were based on the inmates’ demonstrated improvement in behaviour and conduct over the years.
Exercising his constitutional prerogative of mercy and acting on the recommendations of the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, Fintiri said the gesture was aimed at encouraging rehabilitation and reintegration.