“Please Let Me See Him Before I Die” 80 Year Old Mother of Nigerian on Saudi Death Row Begs for Son’s Release

Relatives of Suleimon Olufemi, a Nigerian who has spent nearly two decades on death row in Saudi Arabia, have renewed their emotional appeal for his release, days after the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) confirmed that the required Diyya or blood money demanded by the victim’s family had been fully paid.

In a video obtained on Monday, Olufemi’s 80 year old mother broke down in tears as she appealed to Saudi authorities and the Nigerian government to show compassion and secure her son’s return after more than twenty years behind bars.

“Have mercy on me. Please let him be free and come home so that I can see him again,” she cried.

“His father died in December and he did not even see him. Please let me see him again before I die. May God help you all. Please let him come home soon.”

Another family member, recounting Olufemi’s life before his arrest, described him as a calm and hardworking young man who travelled to Saudi Arabia with no criminal history and purely for religious reasons.

“Suleimon is a very easygoing and gentle boy,” the relative said.

“He lived with me and was driving a Coca Cola truck for an agent near our street. One day, he told me he was travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. He is not a violent person at all.”

The family member said the prolonged wait for justice has taken a heavy emotional and psychological toll on the entire family, particularly on Olufemi’s elderly mother, who turned 80 in May.

“It has not been easy at all, especially for his mother. There are many things she refuses to do because her biggest fear is dying before seeing her son again. That fear lives with her every day. That is why we are begging for mercy,” he said.

In a statement released on Sunday, NiDCOM confirmed that the full 570,000 dollars blood money, estimated at about 900 million naira, demanded by the family of the deceased Saudi police officer, had been deposited into a government approved account. The Commission noted that the payment was a major step toward resolving the case.

NiDCOM also disclosed that diplomatic engagements were ongoing through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, to secure a royal pardon or legal approval that would allow Olufemi to be released and repatriated to Nigeria.

Olufemi travelled to Jeddah in 2002 and was arrested following an altercation that allegedly resulted in the death of a Saudi police officer. Despite consistently maintaining his innocence, he was convicted and sentenced to death in 2005, a verdict that has kept him on death row for nearly twenty years.

His case has continued to draw widespread attention, with human rights advocates, religious leaders, and concerned citizens urging both governments to prioritise compassion and diplomacy in bringing an end to the family’s long and painful ordeal.