Sanwo-Olu, Seyi Tinubu Lead Fundraising of $570,000 for Nigerian on Death Row in S/Arabia

Sanwo-Olu, Seyi Tinubu Lead Fundraising of $570,000 for Nigerian on Death Row in S/Arabia
NiDCOM explains $570,000 blood money raised
Amnesty described Olufemi’s arrest and trial as a “terrible ordeal”

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has provided details on how the $570,000 Diyya (blood money) was raised in efforts to secure the release of Suleimon Olufemi, a Nigerian who has spent over 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that in a statement issued on Tuesday, NiDCOM said the funds were mobilised through coordinated contributions from Nigerians in the diaspora and stakeholders within the country, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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The commission’s clarification followed an open letter written by Amnesty International to President Tinubu on Monday, calling for urgent intervention in Olufemi’s case.

Amnesty described Olufemi’s arrest and trial as a “terrible ordeal,” alleging torture, denial of legal representation and a forced confession during a closed trial that led to his death sentence in 2005.

Olufemi was arrested on September 29, 2002, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, while on a lesser Hajj (Umra) pilgrimage, following the killing of a police officer during an incident in the area.

Sanwo-Olu, Seyi Tinubu Lead Fundraising of $570,000 for Nigerian on Death Row in S/Arabia

Amnesty acknowledged that an agreement was reached in 2020 for the payment of $570,000 in blood money once the victim’s youngest child turned 18, but noted that Olufemi remained in detention at Al-Shumaisi Prison despite the reported completion of payment on July 4, 2024.

However, NiDCOM said Amnesty’s letter omitted critical details surrounding years of diplomatic engagements and fundraising efforts to resolve the matter.

According to the commission, Olufemi travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umra and later visited a friend in Jeddah, where the fatal incident occurred. He was arrested alongside others found in the vicinity. While some suspects received prison sentences, Olufemi was sentenced to death.

NiDCOM maintained that sustained diplomatic efforts and stakeholder interventions have continued since the conviction, stressing that the fundraising process was complex and involved multiple layers of engagement with Saudi authorities, the victim’s family and Nigerian stakeholders at home and abroad.