By our Correspondent
A Kaduna State High Court has sentenced Victor Solomon, popularly known as “Zidane,” to death by hanging following his conviction in connection with a violent incident involving armed herdsmen in his hometown in Kaduna State.
According to reports, Solomon was arrested in 2018 after an attack on his community, during which residents reportedly came under threat from armed Fulani herdsmen.
He was said to have acted in self-defence while trying to protect himself and other locals from being killed in a place known as bandits riddled Kajuru LGAs of kaduna State.
Sources familiar with the case claim that Solomon has been sentenced twice by the same court, a development that has generated public concern and renewed debate over the circumstances surrounding his trial and conviction.
The arrest and subsequent prosecution occurred during the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Since news of the death sentence emerged, the case has attracted widespread attention on social media and among human rights advocates, with many calling for a review of the judgment and a thorough reassessment of the events that led to his conviction.
Critics argue that the case raises serious questions about self-defence, community security, and the treatment of civilians caught in violent conflicts.
They have appealed to relevant authorities, including the judiciary and the Kaduna State Government, to intervene and ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done.
As of the time of filing this report, official statements from the Kaduna State Government and the judiciary regarding the claims surrounding the case were yet to be issued.
A resident of Kajuru LGA of kaduna State Joshua “Zidane,” a “self defence patriot” was also reportedly sentenced to death by hanging, penultimate this week, according to statement shared with journalists on Thursday in Kaduna .
Zidane, who gained recognition for reportedly defending his community in Kajuru Local Government against bandit attacks, has become a focal point in debates over citizen-led security efforts.
The sentence has sparked outrage among citizens and human rights advocates, with critics arguing that it reflects a criminal justice system that punishes individuals for protecting their lives and communities.
“This is a cruel injustice where the victim has now been forced to become the perpetrator of a crime,” a concerned indigene and kaduna based Journalist, Dauda Bumba, said, calling for public action to challenge the judgment.
Recalled that a similar incidence accured with one Jackson in north Eastern region of Nigeria.
