Bishop Michael Fakunle was shot dead at his home in Kensington, Johannesburg, on September 4 after a series of threats, according to statements from the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa and the Nigerian Consulate General. The Consulate described the event as a "gruesome murder" and said the case has been opened at Jeppe Police Station.
The following day, on September 5, James Nwankwo was killed by officers of the South African Police Service in Johannesburg. The death was attributed to what the Consulate called "gruesome interrogation techniques" employed by the police.
Former Minister of Aviation and ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani‑Kayode, announced the killings on his X handle, calling the murders "mortifying" and "deeply shocked". He alleged that Fakunle and Nwankwo were the seventh and eighth Nigerians killed in South Africa in 2026, and that four of the eight were killed by South African police officers.
Fani‑Kayode further claimed that more than 100 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa since 2022, with over 30 allegedly killed by police and the Defence Force. He urged the South African Government to protect Nigerian nationals and to prosecute those responsible for the killings.
He also warned of a new deadline issued by South African non‑governmental organisations for African nationals, including Nigerians, to leave the country by September 30. Fani‑Kayode described the deadline as a threat and called for action against those he said were "traumatising, terrorising, torturing and killing" Nigerians.
As of Friday evening, there had been no official response from the South African Government or the South African Police Service regarding the deaths. The Nigerian Consulate and NICASA have condemned the killings and called for a comprehensive investigation.
These incidents raise serious questions about the safety of Nigerians in South Africa and the effectiveness of protective measures for foreign nationals.
