Amnesty International has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the case of Sulaimon Olufemi, a Nigerian who has spent over 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia. Arrested in 2002 regarding a police officer’s death, Olufemi was convicted in a closed trial. Isa Sanusi stated, “Sulaimon Olufemi has been on death row for more than two decades. This prolonged ordeal must end.”
The human rights group claims the conviction relied on forced confessions obtained through torture and lacked proper legal representation or interpretation services. Although the victim’s family reportedly accepted SAR 2 million in “blood money” (diyya) in 2024 to commute the sentence, Olufemi remains in Al-Shumaisi prison. Amnesty stressed, “The Nigerian government must act decisively to ensure clarity on his legal status.”
Despite the financial settlement and the release of other co-defendants years ago, Olufemi faces continued legal limbo without official communication. Amnesty describes the situation as “cruel and inhuman treatment,” urging the Nigerian government to intensify diplomatic pressure. Sanusi added, “The Nigerian government must act decisively to ensure clarity on his legal status, secure him legal representation, and ensure that his death sentence is quashed.”