The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant clemency to Mr Sunday Jackson, whose death sentence was recently upheld by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court, on March 7, 2025, affirmed the death sentence of Jackson, a farmer from Adamawa State, for killing a Fulani herdsman, Ardo Bawuro, during an altercation on his farmland.

Jackson, in his 30s, was initially sentenced to death by hanging on February 12, 2012, a verdict he claims resulted from acting in self-defence.

The bishops made their appeal in a communiqué issued at the end of their first plenary meeting in Abuja.

The document, signed by CBCN President Archbishop Lucius Ugorji and Secretary Bishop Donatus Ogun, reiterated the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment.

“We reaffirm the stand of the Catholic Church that capital punishment is unacceptable,” the communiqué stated. “We therefore make a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially in light of the Jubilee Year of Hope, to grant pardon to Mr. Sunday Jackson.”

The bishops also criticised the recent closure of schools in some parts of the country, particularly in Kebbi, Katsina, Bauchi, and Kano, where authorities shut down schools for the Ramadan fast.

“We demand that the governments that ordered the closure of all schools in some parts of the country withdraw such orders, considering the rights of children to education and the multi-religious nature of our society,” the communiqué read.

The CBCN emphasised the church’s commitment to education, healthcare, and agriculture as vital components of national development and called for an enabling environment to support these initiatives.

The bishops urged political, religious, and traditional leaders to foster national integration to instil hope and encourage development.