Kaduna Death Sentence Sparks Outrage Over Double Jeopardy, Bias, and Self-DefenseVictor

Solomon, popularly known as Zidane, has been sentenced to death by hanging by a Kaduna State High Court—despite having previously been acquitted of the same murder charge by another court.The ruling has ignited nationwide outrage and renewed concerns about judicial inconsistency, ethno-religious bias, and the criminalization of self-defense in Nigeria.Background of the CaseVictor Solomon is a native of the Adara ethnic group in Southern Kaduna. He was arrested in 2018 during the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, following violent attacks on Adara communities allegedly carried out by Fulani militias.According to reports, Solomon acted in self-defense while protecting his community during one of these attacks.Shockingly, he was prosecuted in two different state high courts for the same alleged offense:One court acquitted him.Another court convicted him and sentenced him to death in January 2026.This contradiction has raised serious legal and moral questions.Why This Case Is Deeply Troubling