Bomba Dauda
The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction and death sentence of Victor Solomon, also known as Zidane, prompting his legal team to announce plans to challenge the judgment at the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the judgment, lead counsel to Solomon, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Samuel Atung, said the appellate court had affirmed the earlier decision of the Kaduna State High Court.
“The Court of Appeal, which is the intermediary court in the hierarchy of our superior courts of record, has just delivered judgment and upheld the conviction of Victor Solomon,” Atung said.
He noted that the defence team would carefully study the certified copy of the judgment before advising their client on the next legal steps.
“This is not a victory for any party. It is a victory for justice. We will pursue the appeal up to the apex court,” he stated.
Atung also appealed to residents of Kaduna State to remain peaceful, urging them to embrace peaceful coexistence and support the government’s inclusive policies.
“The ultimate decision is that of our client. Once we obtain the judgment, we will study it and advise him accordingly,” he added.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Lawyers Forum, Barrister Dr. Solomon Musa, said the legal team respected the judgment but remained committed to exhausting all legal options.
“Every judgment given by a court of law must be respected. However, after reviewing the judgment with our client, if he agrees, we are going straight to the apex court,” Musa said.
He urged members of the Southern Kaduna community to remain calm and law-abiding, stressing that the pursuit of justice would continue through the courts.
“We are very peaceful people. We believe in following the law, and I can assure you that our people will receive this judgment peacefully. Nobody should take the law into his hands. We believe justice will prevail in the end,” he said.
Victor Solomon, a member of the Adara community in Southern Kaduna, was sentenced to death by hanging by a Kaduna State High Court on January 6, 2026, over charges arising from violent communal clashes in Kajuru Local Government Area.
The case drew public attention because Solomon had earlier been discharged and acquitted in a separate criminal case involving allegations of conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide in May 2024.
The Kaduna State Government, however, maintained that the acquittal and the subsequent conviction related to different cases involving separate charges and circumstances.
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. James Kanyip, had explained that while the earlier case ended in acquittal, the later prosecution involved charges of criminal conspiracy, grievous harm and culpable homicide punishable by death.
According to the state government, Solomon’s conviction followed due judicial process and was based on evidence presented before the trial court.
