NiDCOM Appeals for Release of Nigerian on Saudi Death Row over Two Decades, Raises $570,000 Blood Money
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has appealed to Saudi Arabian authorities to grant mercy and release Mr. Suleimon Olufemi, a Nigerian who has been on death row in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over two decades.
NiDCOM said the appeal is in line with the principles of fairness, justice, and the strong diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. The Commission noted that the Diyyah (blood money) of $570,000 demanded by the family of the deceased Saudi police officer has been fully raised and paid into a designated Saudi account.
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According to a statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocol, NiDCOM Abuja, the Commission is hopeful that ongoing diplomatic efforts led by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON), will secure pardon and freedom for Olufemi.
Olufemi was arrested in 2002 following the death of a Saudi police officer during an incident in Jeddah while he was on a lesser Hajj (Umrah) visit. He was subsequently sentenced to death in May 2005, while others implicated in the case received varying jail terms.
With the deceased officer’s child now above 18 years—the legal age to decide on clemency under Saudi law the victim’s family gained the authority to either maintain the death sentence or grant pardon. Despite several diplomatic engagements, including visits facilitated by NiDCOM’s former Legal Director, Barrister Abdullahi Bello, the family insisted that Olufemi must pay the prescribed Diyyah.
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NiDCOM, working with the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia and championed by the Yaro Brothers, successfully mobilized the required funds with support from well-meaning Nigerians, ensuring full payment into a special Saudi government account.
The Commission expressed optimism that the gesture, coupled with sustained diplomatic negotiations, will culminate in the release of Suleimon Olufemi after spending over 20 years in detention.
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