US-based Nigerian international human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe has met famous death row inmate Sunday Jackson for the first time in four years. Ogebe, lawyer to Jackson, gave an account of the meeting in a memo was sent to the US Congress and State Department officials who recently visited Nigeria on a presidential fact-finding mission.

The memo, made available to News Express via e-mail on Friday, December 19, 2025, was sent to Rep. Riley Moore (West Virginia), Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (Florida), Rep. Norma Torres: (California), Rep. Scott Franklin (Florida), and Rep Juan Ciscomani (Arizona). The memo was copied Rep Tom Cole, Rep Chris Smith, and Assistant Secretary Riley Barnes.

The memo reads:

“Dear Honorable members of the Presidential fact-finding CODEL to Nigeria,

Thank you for your demonstrable concern for religious freedom in Nigeria and congratulations on a successful Congressional Delegation trip to Nigeria.

“I have myself just returned from an annual end of year human rights status assessment in Nigeria which overlapped yours and wish to update you on some significant progress made.

“As legal counsel to death row inmate, Mr Sunday Jackson, I again requested Nigeria’s federal government to weigh in on his pardon application for the third time since his unfortunate March Supreme Court judgment.

“The GON reiterated that it was a state prerogative exercisable only by the Adamawa governor but would look into it.

“I requested a visit to my client whom I hadn’t seen since he was relocated from the prison in his home state to a less accessible one in 2021.

“Since the Federal government runs the country’s custodial facilities, they graciously facilitated my meeting with Mr. Sunday Jackson after over four years this week.

“Mr. Jackson was in great spirits and highly relieved as he wasn’t informed ahead of my visit and was unsure if he was being transferred to the hangman.

“He expressed his thanks to all those who have advocated on his behalf at home and abroad igniting hope for his life to be spared that was long gone.

“I want to add my gratitude as well as the concern of the Congress and the visit of the CODEL doubtless played a role in achieving this crucial attorney-client meeting.

“I have requested for a family visit for Mr Jackson’s parents who haven’t seen him in almost 11 years and his daughters, one of whom he has never seen. The GON assures me they are looking into that request this special Christmas season.

“I am grateful for the Federal Government’s cooperation and positive response to these attorney and family visitation requests. In prior meetings, the Attorney General of Nigeria assured me that had this case been a federal one, it would have fit their parameters for a pardon. I appreciate the Interior Minister and the Nigerian Corrections Service for the courtesy and professionalism their staff showed my team.

“I look forward to an opportunity to debrief with you on this and other findings from annual review report.

“Sincerely,

“Emmanuel Ogebe, ESQ”

• PHOTO: DC-based International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe meeting with wrongly convicted Death row client Sunday Jackson in Nigeria this week

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