Has self defense become a crime?

[entertheabyss]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/06/03/justice-denied-supreme-courts-judgement-in-sunday-jacksons-self-defence-case-part-3/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/784603-sunday-jackson-a-victim-of-a-miscarriage-of-justice-by-chidi-anselm-odinkalu.html

Now, I begin to question our laws and ask certain questions:

- Should we continue to run when our lives are threatened and properties been vandalized?

- Is self-defense now a crime in Nigeria?

- Is a victim now an offender?

- Does herdsmen have the right to kill?

- What would have been the fate of Benue State if the reverse was the case?

I need opinions on the questions raised.

[Majestic-milf]

 E dey sad say the justice system no be the hope for the common man anymore because if not, why you go rule against person wey obviously own the land and also bin dey try to defend himself? E sure me say nah people wey don use money sway the judgement and verdict. Imagine say nah rich and influential person wey bin dey the shoes of this Jackson, the ruling no for dey fair? Not only is the poor man deprived of so many things in the society, but e come be say even the small one wey for favor am self nah dey cause him death. Then person go tell me say the law is impartial? Or Justice is blind?
 How person fit run from a herdsman wey fit hold ammunition when him fit easily overpower am before anything escalate. Nah all this running wey dey make them dey get mind say them fit come another person land to do anyhow and nothing go happen but let's say you go over to their area and just do something very minor weda your body no go tell you.
 The nation dey very corrupt and if we dey expect changes in terms of security and every other thing else, these leaders wey mastermind all this unfairness suppose comot.
 

[Hewlet]

when your are defending yourself against highly connected people that are not afraid for their lives, it is the worse state to ever find yourself because they will comfortably attack you knowing that if you do anything, they have a backing that will swing into action ensuring that you are severely dealt with. it is just quite unfortunate that this is the condition we find ourselves in. when you even look at the confidence with which these Fulani's carry out their act, it brings a lot of questions to mind regarding how much of a right to life that citizens of the country have.

the only way to survive in this our lawless country where a lot of people are acting as though they are above the law is to ensure you do not fall victim of terrorism no matter what. if you are attached and know that you are not strong enough to defend yourself, just run for your life but if you have the means of defending yourself, do so and never allow yourself to be caught at all. our justice system is already messed up and so it is just suicidal to depend on such a faulty system.

[Marykeller]

Em d unfortunate sae our country don become wetin the favor a particular tribe more than the rest tribe when it comes to politics, preferences treatment and connections,  top official job positions, favor in rule of law.

How will such country live in peace and harmony when every citizens of the country are not rated equally. Where is it done in any part of the country, that a particular tribe citizen life is valuable more than the other citizen life.

If this self defense case happened in another way round that a herdsmen killed a southern citizen, it would have ended as self defense case. No need to have a judgement over it. Since it turned around to be southerner killed a herdsmen, self defense has turned out to become a crime.

[Yablee0]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/06/03/justice-denied-supreme-courts-judgement-in-sunday-jacksons-self-defence-case-part-3/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/784603-sunday-jackson-a-victim-of-a-miscarriage-of-justice-by-chidi-anselm-odinkalu.html

Now, I begin to question our laws and ask certain questions:

- Should we continue to run when our lives are threatened and properties been vandalized?

- Is self-defense now a crime in Nigeria?

- Is a victim now an offender?

- Does herdsmen have the right to kill?

- What would have been the fate of Benue State if the reverse was the case?

I need opinions on the questions raised.

- Should we continue to run when our lives are threatened and properties been vandalized?
Nigeria is a lawless country and a place were the poor have no say or right of anything, if you speak all try fighting for what is yours you get killed and no body will even cough about it. The only way out is for you to pray not to be seen In that difficult state.


- Is self-defense now a crime in Nigeria?

In nigerian it is now a crime especially if you don't have a upper hand in government or someone that will speak for you.



- Is a victim now an offender?

It depends, if you have and upper hand  you will definitely be 100 percent free, but if you are common man out there you will face the full wrath of the law even if what you did is self defense.


- Does herdsmen have the right to kill?

No body is supposed to be above the law but the way in which this people killed and get away with it without any form of punishment from the law, it gives the impression that they have the right to kill, because I don't understand, they kill and nobody says anything about it, it's crazy.

[Roseline492]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

I don't no if there was more to that story that made the court to give him a capital punishment but however there is need for self defense especially when your live is as stake but however that doesn't mean you will not face the law because no matter the magnitude of which somebody attacks you and you retaliated to defend yourself and maybe in the cause of that leads to a bad outcome, the law will definitely take the cause because is forbidden to take another persons live but however if truly proven it was a self defense there could be some consideration during the judgement but definitely shouldn't result to death penalty.

[Callido]

I don't no if there was more to that story that made the court to give him a capital punishment but however there is need for self defense especially when your live is as stake but however that doesn't mean you will not face the law because no matter the magnitude of which somebody attacks you and you retaliated to defend yourself and maybe in the cause of that leads to a bad outcome, the law will definitely take the cause because is forbidden to take another persons live but however if truly proven it was a self defense there could be some consideration during the judgement but definitely shouldn't result to death penalty.

I heard of the story also, but i don't think it was all that came out, it might be as real as they broad casted but no matter the offense, as long the defense that resulted to killing wasn't a direct attack, it doesn't worth the penalty. To the judge that gave the sentence, if he be in the same problem as the guilty, won't he have protected himself, even at worst a jail time seems to be much better than a death sentence.

[Roseline492]

I don't no if there was more to that story that made the court to give him a capital punishment but however there is need for self defense especially when your live is as stake but however that doesn't mean you will not face the law because no matter the magnitude of which somebody attacks you and you retaliated to defend yourself and maybe in the cause of that leads to a bad outcome, the law will definitely take the cause because is forbidden to take another persons live but however if truly proven it was a self defense there could be some consideration during the judgement but definitely shouldn't result to death penalty.

I heard of the story also, but i don't think it was all that came out, it might be as real as they broad casted but no matter the offense, as long the defense that resulted to killing wasn't a direct attack, it doesn't worth the penalty. To the judge that gave the sentence, if he be in the same problem as the guilty, won't he have protected himself, even at worst a jail time seems to be much better than a death sentence.

We should already no about how unrealistic news can be at times, the news might have it that the person did it out of self defense but the real truth might be different and the same could also be that it was a truly a self defense and the news says the opposite so in this case it could be that there was no evidence to prove him right because there are some cases one will claim it was a self defense and nobody will listen because there is no how the incident will happen on the house of the deceased and the accused will say it was a self defense because the first question will be what was he doing in the person house to claim it was a self defense.

[RealNoblee]

It obvious and disheartening that the entire system in our country has been criminalized by some greedy and selfish individuals who has no atom of value for life.

Our judiciary has lost dignity of purpose with so much biased judgment.

The government is so much be clouded with unnecessary activities without focus.
Without focus on the state of the nation.
Without focus on her citizens wellbeing.
Without focus on insecurity that is destroying lives and properties and crippling the economy.

The Creator Manual said
(Ecclesiastics 10:15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
https://bit.ly/BibleEN_kjv )

All these in-abilities of the government and the judiciary gives room for some few folks to feel they are more important than others in the country and they can do anything without the law holding them.

For self defense, me i no go fit dey inside water soap enter my eye sake of say i no wan make the water dirty or finish.
I must wash am with the water make i see first.

[Juicyhome]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/06/03/justice-denied-supreme-courts-judgement-in-sunday-jacksons-self-defence-case-part-3/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/784603-sunday-jackson-a-victim-of-a-miscarriage-of-justice-by-chidi-anselm-odinkalu.html

Now, I begin to question our laws and ask certain questions:

- Should we continue to run when our lives are threatened and properties been vandalized?

- Is self-defense now a crime in Nigeria?

- Is a victim now an offender?

- Does herdsmen have the right to kill?

- What would have been the fate of Benue State if the reverse was the case?

I need opinions on the questions raised.

OP this is a contemporary question and i think we should all add a voice to it, Thanks for bring this up, many people never read about it until today. I followed up this news and also made my contribution on various media. This reduced Nigerian judiciary system to zero. Its an eye opener that there is no justice in the Nigerian legal system. The international community condemned the judgment, but since it was Supreme court judgment its very hard to reverse.

It shall not be well with the judge that gave that judgement, it further show that in this country cow and herdsmen are serious citizens and that is why the government are playing politics with herdsmen attack on farmer's crops and killing the farmers, at the end no single herdsmen has be arrested. Government has hands in it, and they are being sponsored by politicians to achieve their political interest. The case of Jackson Sunday was the worst and obvious evidence that the Nigerian government does not care about our life and properties. Wherever you are avoid trouble and if you perceive one run far.

[entertheabyss]

It shall not be well with the judge that gave that judgement, it further show that in this country cow and herdsmen are serious citizens and that is why the government are playing politics with herdsmen attack on farmer's crops and killing the farmers, at the end no single herdsmen has be arrested. Government has hands in it, and they are being sponsored by politicians to achieve their political interest. The case of Jackson Sunday was the worst and obvious evidence that the Nigerian government does not care about our life and properties. Wherever you are avoid trouble and if you perceive one run far.

If only the abuses citizen lay on leaders and judges gets to them then we would have been a better country. It appears as though the more we abuse them the more hardened they become. This was made obvious when we consider the statement made by senator Godswill Akpabio that "...you can go ahead with the protest but we will be eating". This statement shows that citizen welfare is not the priority of the government. Even the judiciary that is expected to make things right is part of the body making things difficult for citizens due to the kind of judgement they pronounce. In fact, justice and equity is no longer the watch word of the judiciary as they are more concerned with making judgement that suits the interest of the ruling class and not based on the principle of equality, fairness and justice.

[Stable090]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

Dis country matter just get as e be, if you no get connection for dis country, then make you know say you no get any right. Person wey get connection go Dey wrong, everybody go see say na him Dey wrong, but at the end, dem go talk say na d person wey Dey wrong Dey right, we just don Dey for country wey Dey messed up, I don’t know who go come help us for dis country self.

How person fight for him life, and him win you come still sentence d person say make dem kill am by hanging, if the government no fit protect us again, if we come Dey protect ourselves again, e don turn crime again, so e just Dey obvious say the government self the support all this Fulani herdsmen wey Dey kill people anyhow, because if dem no Dey support them, then Dey no suppose deliver dis kin judgement.

[Solodoski]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/06/03/justice-denied-supreme-courts-judgement-in-sunday-jacksons-self-defence-case-part-3/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/784603-sunday-jackson-a-victim-of-a-miscarriage-of-justice-by-chidi-anselm-odinkalu.html

Now, I begin to question our laws and ask certain questions:

- Should we continue to run when our lives are threatened and properties been vandalized?

- Is self-defense now a crime in Nigeria?

- Is a victim now an offender?

- Does herdsmen have the right to kill?

- What would have been the fate of Benue State if the reverse was the case?

I need opinions on the questions raised.

This is a very important topic and it really needed to be talked about. The Benue killing is something to be condemned by any right thinking person. Self defense is never a crime, but in this part of the world where the law can be bent, you can be sentenced for it, because our judiciary has really failed us.
No one has the right to kill anyone, not even the herdsmen, but we really need to ask ourselves this questions, who really own this cows? How do they get this sophisticated weapon? The answer to this questions will make you understand why they think they have the right to kill and even get away with it .

[Proty]

I believe say this judgement wasn't really a good idea but if we should reason it in another way . The reason for this kind judgement fit be as a result of lack of evidence, because if this man no get enough evidence no body will believe his case. So Sometimes e go dey good make person try dey avoid danger or run away from some problems if possible. The best idea would have been for many to disarm him if possible or disable or cripple him since nobody is there when this incidents actually happened so without proper evidence the court may find it difficult to believe that case and due to lack of evidence the victim will turn out to become the offender.

[Dulen007]

When I saw clips of the massive killings in Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen, I quickly had a flashback on a case involving a farmer called Jackson Sunday and a herdsman in Anambra State in 2015. Jackson Sunday in a bid to defend himself against a herdsman killed the herdsman in order to escape from the herdsman attack but recently on March 7th, 2025 he was sentence to death by hanging on the ground that he would have fled instead of trying to defend himself. This is a wrong judgement and a redicule to our judicial system. This judgement have raised contention in the legal and none legal environment.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/06/03/justice-denied-supreme-courts-judgement-in-sunday-jacksons-self-defence-case-part-3/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/784603-sunday-jackson-a-victim-of-a-miscarriage-of-justice-by-chidi-anselm-odinkalu.html

Now, I begin to question our laws and ask certain questions:

- Should we continue to run when our lives are threatened and properties been vandalized?

- Is self-defense now a crime in Nigeria?

- Is a victim now an offender?

- Does herdsmen have the right to kill?

- What would have been the fate of Benue State if the reverse was the case?

I need opinions on the questions raised.

OP this is a contemporary question and i think we should all add a voice to it, Thanks for bring this up, many people never read about it until today. I followed up this news and also made my contribution on various media. This reduced Nigerian judiciary system to zero. Its an eye opener that there is no justice in the Nigerian legal system. The international community condemned the judgment, but since it was Supreme court judgment its very hard to reverse.

It shall not be well with the judge that gave that judgement, it further show that in this country cow and herdsmen are serious citizens and that is why the government are playing politics with herdsmen attack on farmer's crops and killing the farmers, at the end no single herdsmen has be arrested. Government has hands in it, and they are being sponsored by politicians to achieve their political interest. The case of Jackson Sunday was the worst and obvious evidence that the Nigerian government does not care about our life and properties. Wherever you are avoid trouble and if you perceive one run far.

You're obviously judging this case with your emotions. This is what the law says, "The right of self-defense is a fundamental right, but it is not a license to take the law into one's own hands."
I'm not trying to be in support of the killings carried out by the Fulani Herdsmen across the country but the fact is that, the man in question has gone against the law by killing the Herdsmen. He had a better option of running away because, running away from a fight is all a means of self defense instead, he personally took the laws into his hands and killed the Fulani Herdsmen. The law forbids that!

[Juicyhome]

You're obviously judging this case with your emotions. This is what the law says, "The right of self-defense is a fundamental right, but it is not a license to take the law into one's own hands."
I'm not trying to be in support of the killings carried out by the Fulani Herdsmen across the country but the fact is that, the man in question has gone against the law by killing the Herdsmen. He had a better option of running away because, running away from a fight is all a means of self defense instead, he personally took the laws into his hands and killed the Fulani Herdsmen. The law forbids that!

What are you saying mate? Herdsmen that has been terrorizing and destroying farmers land and even kill them on the farm, Herdsmen that the government on several occasions has told the farmers to defend themselves, Herdsmen that was proscribed as a terrorist group by the government is what you are telling me that mr Jackson sunday broke the law by killing one and wanted to  kill him.

We keep aiding evil in this country because of tribe and religion, how do you run away from someone that try to kill you? do you know the  situation mr Jacson Sunday was in? Is just like retuning an armed robber gun to him, who was trying to shot you and the gun felt down. Please that judgement with all standards lack merit and you have no prove to paint it good in the eyes of the law.

[Achalugo BTC]

Dis country matter just get as e be, if you no get connection for dis country, then make you know say you no get any right. Person wey get connection go Dey wrong, everybody go see say na him Dey wrong, but at the end, dem go talk say na d person wey Dey wrong Dey right, we just don Dey for country wey Dey messed up, I don’t know who go come help us for dis country self.

How person fight for him life, and him win you come still sentence d person say make dem kill am by hanging, if the government no fit protect us again, if we come Dey protect ourselves again, e don turn crime again, so e just Dey obvious say the government self the support all this Fulani herdsmen wey Dey kill people anyhow, because if dem no Dey support them, then Dey no suppose deliver dis kin judgement.

Na so this country matter dey always be, and our leaders go just dey do as e dey Dem for body or as they like, as far as e no dey affect their family, them no go put effort to fight for their citizens.

E come be like say, everybody just dey on their own, on how u survive for this country, no really be anybody concern, if u make am too, na your luck but no do wetin go make you enter problem, because for this country nobody dey fight for anybody, infact if person reason how the country dey go and how our leaders dey maltreat us ehn but na God go deliver e children.

[Dulen007]

You're obviously judging this case with your emotions. This is what the law says, "The right of self-defense is a fundamental right, but it is not a license to take the law into one's own hands."
I'm not trying to be in support of the killings carried out by the Fulani Herdsmen across the country but the fact is that, the man in question has gone against the law by killing the Herdsmen. He had a better option of running away because, running away from a fight is all a means of self defense instead, he personally took the laws into his hands and killed the Fulani Herdsmen. The law forbids that!

What are you saying mate? Herdsmen that has been terrorizing and destroying farmers land and even kill them on the farm, Herdsmen that the government on several occasions has told the farmers to defend themselves, Herdsmen that was proscribed as a terrorist group by the government is what you are telling me that mr Jackson sunday broke the law by killing one and wanted to  kill him.

We keep aiding evil in this country because of tribe and religion, how do you run away from someone that try to kill you? do you know the  situation mr Jacson Sunday was in? Is just like retuning an armed robber gun to him, who was trying to shot you and the gun felt down. Please that judgement with all standards lack merit and you have no prove to paint it good in the eyes of the law.

I'm not trying to be sentimental because of tribe or religion. I'm not a Fulani or even a Muslim. I understand how you feel but when it comes to cases like this, the court doesn't judge by your emotions. As a matter of fact, the Fulani Herdsmen have not been officially declared a terrorist group by the federal government of Nigeria.
The law does not allow revenge killings.
Even if the herdsmen have been terrorizing others, it does not give Mr. Jackson the right to kill.
We need justice, not jungle justice.
If everyone decides to kill because they suspect someone is dangerous, society will become lawless. The courts, not individuals, are meant to punish criminals.
The court’s judgment depends on evidence.
If the court ruled against Mr. Jackson, it means there was no strong evidence that it was purely self-defense. The law protects you when you defend yourself, but it does not allow you to take a life unnecessarily.

[Africolo]

I heard of the story also, but i don't think it was all that came out, it might be as real as they broad casted but no matter the offense, as long the defense that resulted to killing wasn't a direct attack, it doesn't worth the penalty. To the judge that gave the sentence, if he be in the same problem as the guilty, won't he have protected himself, even at worst a jail time seems to be much better than a death sentence.

Defense is something we should be careful about inother not to ruined our lives along the line. A man have no right or claim to take the life of another man despite the circumstances. However we're living in a country where law is not effective and we've watch quite alot of things going south because the leaders have failed in all ramifications to get things done on your path. Jail time would be consider to be a matching punishment for taking a herdman's life but reverse is the case. We've seen quite ugly situations and the judge didn't just take it likely.

[entertheabyss]

You're obviously judging this case with your emotions. This is what the law says, "The right of self-defense is a fundamental right, but it is not a license to take the law into one's own hands."
I'm not trying to be in support of the killings carried out by the Fulani Herdsmen across the country but the fact is that, the man in question has gone against the law by killing the Herdsmen. He had a better option of running away because, running away from a fight is all a means of self defense instead, he personally took the laws into his hands and killed the Fulani Herdsmen. The law forbids that!

You are not being rational here. For the herdsmen who have been killing people how many have been sentenced? Does it mean that it is their right to take lives but their lives must not be taken? If the man sentenced happened to be a close friend or even a family to you would you have reasoned this way also? He did the best he could at that time which is self defense because running away may not be the best option considering his exact state, sometimes how far can you run? Some of these herdsmen move with arrow and daggers so would he have ran more than an arrow? I think that these herdsmen are politically sponsored and that is why the victim has been guilty.