Death Row: The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has joined the family of Suleimon Olufemi in appealing to the authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for his release from death row, following the successful payment of the required $570,000 diyah (blood money).
In a statement issued in Abuja on December 29, 2025, and signed by NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Commission urged the Saudi authorities to consider the principles of fairness, justice, and compassion, while also reflecting on the longstanding diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
NiDCOM disclosed that the $570,000 diyah demanded in Olufemi’s case has been fully raised and paid into a designated Saudi account through coordinated efforts involving the Yaro Brothers, the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, and support from well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad.
The Commission expressed optimism that ongoing diplomatic engagements spearheaded by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON), will yield a favourable outcome, paving the way for the release of the Nigerian on death row in Saudi Arabia, who has remained in detention for over 20 years.
Olufemi was arrested in September 2002 in Jeddah, a day after a Saudi police officer was killed during an incident in which he was implicated. At the time, Olufemi had travelled to Saudi Arabia on a lesser Hajj (Umrah) visa to visit a friend. Following a trial, he was sentenced to death in May 2005, while other individuals connected to the case received various prison terms.
NiDCOM Urges Mercy for Suleimon Olufemi After Two Decades in Saudi Detention
NiDCOM explained that under Saudi legal provisions, the family of the deceased officer retains the right to either uphold the death sentence or grant a pardon upon acceptance of diyah, particularly as the child of the deceased officer has now attained the age of 18.
After several diplomatic interventions and negotiations with the victim’s family, some of which involved NiDCOM’s former Legal Director, Barrister Abdullahi Bello, the family insisted on the payment of $570,000 as a precondition for granting pardon.
The Commission confirmed that it collaborated closely with the Association of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, led by the Yaro Brothers, to mobilise resources for the fundraising campaign. Release of Nigerian on death row in Saudi Arabia
“The $570,000 dollars has been paid into an account opened specifically for this purpose, with financial support from well-meaning Nigerians,” the statement read.
Release of Nigerian on death row in Saudi Arabia: NiDCOM reaffirmed its commitment to securing justice and humanitarian relief for Olufemi, while appreciating all individuals and organisations who contributed towards meeting the diyah requirement. The Commission reiterated its appeal for mercy, expressing hope that the completion of all conditions would culminate in the release of the Nigerian on death row in Saudi Arabia.
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