He’s making a selfless sacrifice.
Pastor William Devlin from New York has offered his life in exchange for a Nigerian Christian farmer, Sunday Jackson, who was sentenced to death for killing a Fulani herdsman in self-defense. The Nigerian Supreme Court recently upheld Jackson’s death sentence, leading Pastor Devlin to make a public plea to sacrifice his own life to save the farmer. Devlin, a longtime advocate for persecuted Christians, was deeply moved by Jackson’s situation and said his faith compels him to offer this extraordinary gesture of compassion.
The case revolves around a 2015 incident in which Jackson, who was farming in Adamawa State, was attacked by a Fulani herdsman after confronting him about his animals destroying Jackson’s crops. Jackson defended himself and killed the herder, but Nigerian courts ruled that he should have fled the scene instead of fighting back, leading to his death sentence in 2021. Pastor Devlin, along with other advocates, has been campaigning for clemency, citing that Jackson’s trial was unjust, as he was held in custody for over six years before the trial concluded.
This case has highlighted broader concerns about violence between Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers in Nigeria, a conflict that has caused thousands of deaths over the past decade. Many Christian leaders and human rights activists argue that this violence is not adequately addressed by Nigerian authorities, leading to a sense of injustice and fear in the affected communities.
In the U.S., lawmakers have taken notice of the ongoing religious persecution in Nigeria. There are renewed calls for Nigeria to be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the U.S. government, a label that could result in sanctions or other diplomatic measures. This designation was removed in 2021, but advocates are urging for it to be reinstated to hold Nigeria accountable for its failure to address the violence and persecution of Christians.
At the same time, Christian leaders in Nigeria are warning about a long-term agenda to marginalize and eliminate Christians from positions of power. Testimonies at a recent U.S. congressional hearing described the violent and non-violent strategies used against Christians, including land takeovers, abductions, and killings.