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By John Ogunsemore
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and son of the President, Seyi Tinubu donated $150,000 towards securing the release of a Nigerian on death row in Saudi Arabia, Suleimon Olufemi.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday.
The commission was reacting to controversy surrounding the continued incarceration of Olufemi, despite the fulfilment of conditions to secure his release.
Olufemi has been on death row in Saudi Arabia for more than 20 years after being convicted for the killing of a policeman.
On Monday, global human rights group, Amnesty International Nigeria released an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu seeking urgent intervention in Olufemi’s case.
Amnesty recounted how Olufemi was arrested on September 29, 2002, in Jeddah during a lesser Hajj (Umra) pilgrimage following a police officer’s death.
The rights group alleged that Olufemi lacked adequate legal representation, was subjected to torture and made to sign a forced confession during a closed trial that led to his 2005 death sentence.
Amnesty further stated that in 2020, an agreement was reached for a $570,000 blood money (Diyya) payment to be made by the convict to the victim’s family.
The group lamented that Olufemi has remained incarcerated at Al-Shumaisi prison despite payment completion on July 4, 2024.
But in a statement signed by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NIDCOM said Amnesty’s letter “deliberately left out some facts” about the years-long effort to rescue Olufemi.
The commission explained, “Suleimon Olufemi left Nigeria for lesser Hajj (Umra) in Saudi Arabia and decided to check on a friend in Jeddah, where an incident occurred in which a police officer was killed. He was arrested among those in the vicinity. Unfortunately for him, while some received prison sentences, he was sentenced to death.
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“With the legal age of the child of the policeman now over 18 years, the family could decide to pardon him or uphold the death sentence. After a series of diplomatic interventions and several meetings with the family, which included NIDCOM’s former Legal Director, Barrister Abdullahi Bello, they insisted that Suleimon Olufemi must pay blood money (Diyya) of $570,000.
“This was about three and a half years ago, and Amnesty International was nowhere to be found when we approached them to collaborate in raising the required funds, despite having previously shown interest in the case.”
NIDCOM acknowledged the efforts of Governor Sanwo-Olu, Seyi Tinubu and other Nigerians in raising the $570,000 Diyya funds for Olufemi.
“NIDCOM, in conjunction with the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, raised the $570,000, which has been paid into an account opened specifically for this purpose.
“Financial support came from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Seyi Tinubu, who contributed about $150,000, while the rest was raised through GoFundMe, initiated by the Yaro brothers. (This was under President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.)
“Now, the money has been paid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia have been engaging the Saudi authorities on when Suleimon Olufemi will be released,” the commission said.
NIDCOM said it was optimistic that with the funds raised and diplomatic moves being made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs who has also briefed President Tinubu, the Saudi authorities would pardon Olufemi “who has been in jail for well over 20 years now for an offence that really cannot be proven that he committed”.
The commission emphasised that the convict was apparently in a wrong place at a wrong time.
NIDCOM expressed appreciation for Amnesty International’s role but encourage the rights group “to be factual and not just be self seeking in this pathetic case”.
“The NIDCOM Chairman has been in touch with the Sulaimon Olufemi family wherein she received the aged parents on December 30, 2020 in NIDCOM office in Lagos.
“We appeal to the Saudi Arabia Authorities to release Suleimon Olufemi from prison having paid the imposed blood money in the spirit of fairness, justice and cordial diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the statement further reads.
