After more than two decades on death row in a Saudi Arabian prison, the fate of Suleimon Olufemi now rests in the hands of diplomatic negotiators following a massive $570,000 (₦826,443,000) fundraising effort to secure his freedom.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) released a detailed account on Tuesday, clarifying the status of Olufemi, who was arrested in 2002 during a lesser Hajj (Umrah) pilgrimage.
Suleimon Olufemi was caught in a mob action in Jeddah that resulted in the death of a Saudi police officer.
While others arrested in the sweep were eventually deported, Olufemi was sentenced to death in 2005—a conviction human rights groups faulted as lacking merit. They complained that the convict was forced to confess and was not given legal representation.
According to NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Saudi Arabia has a policy that allows the son of the victim of such a crime to choose on behalf of the family, whether to execute the convict or ask him for Diyya (Blood Money).
The child of the victim, however, must be at least 18 years old to make the decision.
In Olufemi’s case, the victim’s youngest child reached the age of 18 about three and a half years ago and opted for Diyya of $570,000 rather than execution.
NiDCOM revealed that it played a prominent role in galvanising people to raise the money to save Olufemi. The commission said Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, were instrumental in the campaign. The two of them reportedly contributed approximately $150,000.
The remaining balance was crowdfunded via a GoFundMe campaign led by the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia and the Yaro brothers.
The commission confirmed the full amount was paid into a dedicated account on July 4, 2024. However, despite the payment, Olufemi remains in Al-Shumaisi prison.
While Amnesty International recently urged President Tinubu to “act decisively” to end Olufemi’s “unconscionable injustice,” NiDCOM tongue-lashed the organisation for reacting too late to the issue.
NiDcCOM said that when the matter was hot, and it approached Amnesty International for support to raise the blood money, the organisation failed to show interest.
The commission said the government is already in the final stages of diplomacy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently coordinating with Saudi authorities to finalise the pardon and secure Olufemi’s long-awaited return to Nigeria.
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