Renowned American Cleric and Human Rights Advocate, Dr. William Delvin, has called on the Nigerian government to take his life in place of one Mr Sunday Jackson, who was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court last week for killing a Fulani Herdsman.
Jackson had been on death row for about ten year but last week, the Supreme Court sealed his fate by dismissing his appeal, which ordered that he should be sentenced to death.
The Supreme Court had the opportunity to declare Sunday Jackson innocent but didn’t. He has become an international case for human rights, and we will continue to advocate for him.
He said, “I am 70years old amd I’m ready to lay down my life for Sunday Jackson. The government of Nigeria should take my like instead of that of Sunday Jackson. He is a young man if about 30years and while I am about 70 years old”
He also said the case has assumed international dimension.
“The case of Sunday Jackson has become an international case because there is obviously a miscarriage of justice against Sunday Jackson, who was on death row for ten years but has finally been affirmed by the Supreme Court.
“The case of Sunday Jackson has become a major embarrassment to the Nigerian government. He was attacked by Fulani Islamist, he is innocent and we are here to appeal to the governor of Adamawa state to grant him pardon so that he can take care of his two young daughters.
“This is a major abuse of human rights in Nigeria and as I travel back to the United States, we will continue with the advocacy and even take it to Canada as well as the continent of Africa. We are going to make it an international case in Western Europe. We are here to advocate for the release of Sunday Jackson”, Delvin said
Also, a US based lawyer and founder of US Law Group, Barrister Emmanuel Ogebe, described the justigement as injustice against Jackson, who was just 20 years old student in 2015 as at the time of his arrest.
He said he had been involved I the case since 2015 adding that the apex court did not avert it’s mind to certain facts of the case.
“I’ve been involved! In this case since 2021 since he was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court did not avert it’s mind, as far as we can tell since the cericiend true opy has not been released.
“The judge delivered the judgement 167 days after the adoption of final addresses by parties when the 1999 Constitution says it should be 90 days.
“There is a reason why the Constitution said it must be 90days so that you don’t forget some of the material elements of the case. She gave judgment unrelated with the evidence before thethe court.
“For example, in the judgement, the ourt agreed that he was attacked in the leg but that he should have rum away. How is somebody who is injured in the leg able to run. In his evidence, he said he actually ran but the man caught up with him amd stabbed him in the head.
“So, he attempted to run, how can you now sentenced ce him to death because you feel he should have ran away.”
