The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has disclosed that $57,000 has been paid as part of ongoing efforts to secure the release of Suleimon Olufemi, a Nigerian who has spent over 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia.
NIDCOM made this known in a statement issued by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, while responding to an open letter by Amnesty International urging President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the case.
The commission accused Amnesty International of omitting key facts and described the organisation’s intervention as “hypocritical”.
According to NIDCOM, Olufemi travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah but was arrested in Jeddah after a police officer was killed in an incident where he was found among those present.
“He was arrested among those in the vicinity and later sentenced to death, even though others arrested with him got prison terms,” the commission said.
NIDCOM explained that under Saudi law, the family of the deceased could either pardon Olufemi or insist on the death sentence, adding that the family demanded blood money of $570,000 about three and a half years ago.
“Amnesty International was nowhere to be found when we approached them to collaborate in raising the required funds,” the statement said.
The commission said the full amount was eventually raised through joint efforts with the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, with contributions from Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Seyi Tinubu, alongside a fundraising campaign initiated by the Yaro brothers.
“With the funds raised and diplomatic engagements ongoing, we are optimistic that the Saudi authorities will pardon Suleimon Olufemi,” NIDCOM said, noting that the case had been formally briefed to the president.
The commission appealed to Saudi authorities to grant Olufemi’s release “in the spirit of fairness, justice and cordial diplomatic relations” between both countries.
