Abuja / Washington — In a surprising twist to the growing campaign for clemency for Sunday Jackson, a U.S. lawmaker named Moore has reportedly called for a pardon, a development that could amplify international pressure on Nigerian authorities.
While the details of the lawmaker’s intervention remain sparse, the appeal adds to mounting calls for mercy from civil society and religious groups: ActionAid Nigeria has condemned Jackson’s death sentence as a miscarriage of justice. Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has made a formal request to President Bola Tinubu to grant clemency.
Jackson — a farmer from Adamawa State — was sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted of killing a herdsman in what he maintains was self-defence. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also appealed to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa to halt the execution, citing his constitutional powers to grant clemency.
If confirmed, Moore’s involvement in the pardon campaign could signal increased international engagement on Jackson’s behalf, potentially influencing Nigeria’s executive-clemency process.