Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja — Amnesty International Nigeria has called for urgent diplomatic and legal intervention in the case of Sulaimon Olufemi, a Nigerian national who has spent more than 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia, underscoring deep concerns about fairness, due process and human rights in his prolonged imprisonment. In an open appeal to President Bola Tinubu, the human rights organisation described Olufemi’s continued detention under a death sentence as an “unconscionable injustice” and urged the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to secure his release and ensure his case is handled transparently.
Olufemi, now 47, was arrested on September 29, 2002, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following a violent dispute in which a Saudi police officer was killed. The incident, which also involved dozens of foreign nationals, led to mass arrests by Saudi authorities the following day. According to Amnesty International, Olufemi was among those detained but, unlike many of his co-defendants, he has never been released or deported.
In May 2005, Olufemi was sentenced to death after a trial that Amnesty International and rights observers say failed to meet international standards of fairness. The organisation detailed that Olufemi was denied access to legal representation, consular assistance and adequate interpretation during his trial, and that statements used against him were extracted under duress and written in Arabic — a language he could not read.
While most of Olufemi’s co-accused were later given prison terms and released after serving their sentences, Olufemi’s death sentence was upheld on appeal by Saudi Arabia’s higher courts, leaving him with no further legal recourse. Eleven other Nigerian defendants in the same case were eventually deported to Nigeria after completing their terms, but Olufemi remains incarcerated at Al-Shumaisi Prison in Jeddah.
A significant development in the case reportedly occurred in July 2024, when the family of the deceased officer — under Saudi Arabia’s qisas (retribution) provisions — agreed to accept diyya (blood money) as compensation in place of execution. Under Sharia law, this arrangement can spare a condemned person’s life if agreed by the victim’s family and certified by the courts. According to Amnesty International, the agreed compensation was reportedly paid more than a year ago, yet Olufemi remains on death row with no official update on the legal status of his sentence or release.
In its statement, Amnesty International Nigeria’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, urged the Nigerian government to take decisive action to clarify Olufemi’s legal standing, secure competent legal representation for him, and press Saudi authorities to quash the death sentence. The organisation described the prolonged uncertainty and harsh conditions of his detention as a form of “cruel and inhuman treatment,” particularly given the passage of more than two decades since his arrest.
The open letter to President Tinubu called on Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic missions to prioritise Olufemi’s case in discussions with Saudi counterparts and to deploy all available means to protect his rights and well-being. Amnesty International also urged Saudi authorities to honour international human rights obligations by formally revoking the death sentence and concluding the legal process that has left Olufemi in limbo.
Human rights advocates have long criticised Saudi Arabia’s criminal justice procedures, especially in cases involving foreign nationals, for a lack of transparency and due process. Olufemi’s situation has drawn attention to broader concerns about trials conducted without adequate defence rights, access to counsel, or interpreter support — factors that international legal standards consider fundamental to fair proceedings.
Back in Nigeria, civil society groups and diaspora organisations have periodically called on federal authorities to champion Olufemi’s cause and secure his return. Previous interventions by the Nigerian government, including efforts through the National Identity Management Commission (NIDCOM), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and parliamentary committees, have sought to engage Saudi authorities, but sustained progress has been limited.
Olufemi’s ordeal highlights the challenges faced by citizens detained abroad, particularly in jurisdictions with legal systems that differ significantly from those in Nigeria. Advocacy groups say that without sustained diplomatic pressure and international oversight, cases like his risk languishing indefinitely, with families left in prolonged uncertainty and psychological distress.
As Amnesty International Nigeria continues to press the Nigerian government for intervention, rights campaigners are calling for greater attention to the plight of other Nigerians facing harsh sentences abroad, and for structured mechanisms to ensure their fair treatment under international law. The organisation’s appeal underscores a broader push for accountability and humanitarian considerations in diplomatic engagements involving citizens condemned overseas.
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