Nigerians have expressed outrage following the deaths of two Nigerian nationals, Bishop Michael Fakunle and James Nwankwo, in separate incidents in South Africa.
Fakunle, an indigene of Iye in Ekiti State’s Ilejemeje Local Government Area, was reportedly shot dead by unidentified persons at his Johannesburg residence on September 4, after allegedly receiving several threats.
Nwankwo reportedly died the following day after what was described as “gruesome interrogation techniques” allegedly used by officers of the South African Police Service.
The two deaths have renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, particularly amid recurring xenophobic incidents and allegations of police brutality.
Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, said Fakunle and Nwankwo were the seventh and eighth Nigerians allegedly killed in the country this year. He added that four of the eight deaths were allegedly caused by South African police officers.
“Bishop Fakunle and Mr Nwankwo are the 7th and 8th Nigerians to have been murdered in South Africa this year alone.
“Outside of that, over 100 Nigerian nationals have been murdered in South Africa between 2022 and today and over 30 of them were killed by officers of the South African Police Service and South African Defence Force.”
Fani-Kayode expressed concern that despite repeated complaints over the situation, no arrests or prosecutions had been made in connection with the alleged killings.
“What is most disturbing is the fact that despite our constant expressions of concern about this disturbing state of affairs, not one person has been arrested, detained, prosecuted or brought to justice for any of these heinous crimes.”
He described the groups behind an ultimatum issued to African nationals as “racist, xenophobic and Afrophobic” and appealed to the South African Government to protect Nigerians from their activities.
“Simply put, our patience is wearing thin.”
The controversy prompted the National Assembly on Friday to suspend official visits to South Africa and instruct lawmakers and officials to boycott legislative activities hosted or organised by South African authorities until further notice.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, however, said his government had not received any formal communication regarding the decision.
In an interview with SABC News, Lamola said the parliamentary decision did not, at that point, affect diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa.
“We have not received any official communication in that regard, but our understanding is that it is the National Assembly of Nigeria, and it does not, at this stage, affect the bilateral relations between the two countries.
“It will be very unfortunate if that will be because these are the two big giants of the African continent that need to work together.”
Lamola maintained that South Africa was ready to engage with Nigeria on matters affecting both countries.
He also disclosed that Nigeria had provided South African authorities with a list of about 100 Nigerians reportedly killed in the country. According to him, the cases had been verified, and South Africa remained willing to discuss the circumstances and causes of the deaths with the Nigerian Government.
Meanwhile, the South African Consul-General in Lagos, Prof Bobby Moroe, declined to comment directly on the latest deaths when contacted. He said the response would come from the South African Government headquarters in Pretoria and that he would relay it to the correspondent. No response had been received as of Sunday night.
The killings also triggered reactions on social media.
Chibuzor Anucha, who posts on X as @royalchi, described Fakunle’s death as “heartbreaking and deeply disturbing” and called for a comprehensive investigation and justice for his family.
James Agberebi (@jaymeshelsing) wrote, “With all the senseless killings in that useless country, yet some Nigerians still refused to leave.”
Musan Zariya (@Musa95Aliu) advocated tougher measures, including recalling Nigeria’s ambassador, nationalising South African assets and restricting capital inflows into South Africa.
Ibrahim James (@dazzlag_) argued that Nigeria could no longer respond to the alleged mistreatment of its citizens with “diplomatic niceties,” urging stronger measures and reciprocal action.
However, Olatunji Azeez (@tj_attires) warned against allowing concerns over attacks on Nigerians to develop into hostility towards South Africans generally.
“Behind every statistic is a Nigerian who left home looking for opportunities. Nigeria should protect its citizens wherever they are. But we also have to be careful not to turn legitimate concerns about attacks into hatred against an entire country or its people.”
Speaking with the correspondent, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South Africa, Dr ABC Okokoh, said the killing of Nigerians had remained a longstanding concern.
Okokoh stressed that violence in South Africa was not restricted to Nigerians, noting the country’s broader problem of violence involving different groups. However, he alleged that Nigerians were especially exposed to harsh treatment by police officers.
“The matter our new ambassador has identified has been the order of the day. The killings have been going on.
“It is not just that they are killing Nigerians alone; this is a country where there is a high level of violence, especially among different groups of people.
“The police here use high-handedness, especially on Nigerians. It is not new.
“There are a lot of cases that are still in court. At the end of the day, it doesn’t go so far because the cases are also being prosecuted by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, which means it is the state that is prosecuting the state.”
He said some cases involving alleged killings of Nigerians by security personnel had remained unresolved, denying victims’ families justice.
Okokoh called for stronger legal assistance and media support for affected families, arguing that greater public attention could increase pressure on authorities to ensure accountability.
The President of the Association of Yorubas in Diaspora, South Africa, Dr Olusola Agbeniyi, similarly criticised what he described as inadequate coverage of attacks on Nigerians by South African media.
He noted that Nigerian nationals often received significant media attention when accused of crimes, while reports concerning Nigerians who became victims of violence received considerably less coverage.
“What gives me concern regarding the welfare matters about Nigerians in South Africa is that we hardly hear news about the killings of Nigerians in South Africa on the local media.
“The only news we hear is Nigerians selling drugs or Nigerians who are arrested for being members of Black Axe and so on. When something bad happens to Nigerians in South Africa, the story is not available or not reported by the South African media. This also calls for further investigation and intervention.”
On the reported September 30 ultimatum directed at African nationals, Agbeniyi urged the South African Government to take firm action against groups involved in xenophobic activities.
He maintained that immigration enforcement was the responsibility of the government and that private groups had no legal authority to enforce immigration laws.
“It is only the government that is constitutionally mandated to deal with immigration matters. The South African Government should be bold enough to clamp down on any individual involved in acts of xenophobia against immigrants.
“Such people should be arrested and prosecuted. No citizen has a right to perform the duty of law enforcement agents. It is unlawful. If the government is watching them doing this, then they encourage it,” he said.
The President-General of the Nigerian Union South Africa, Dr Smart Nwobi, also urged South African authorities to act swiftly over the deaths.
Nwobi called for comprehensive and transparent investigations into every allegation surrounding the two cases, insisting that anyone found responsible, whether a civilian, police officer or other security official, should be prosecuted.
“Let me be clear: NUSA will not remain silent while Nigerian lives are lost and justice is delayed or denied.
“We respect the sovereignty of South Africa and remain committed to constructive relations between our two nations. However, friendship and diplomatic relations cannot become an excuse for silence in the face of injustice.
“This is a firm warning to the South African authorities: the continued killing, intimidation, harassment and alleged abuse of Nigerians cannot continue with impunity.
“The South African Government has a constitutional and moral responsibility to protect every person within its territory, including Nigerian nationals.
“We therefore expect concrete action, not merely statements of sympathy. We expect investigations, accountability and justice.”
The Federal Government also expressed shock over the deaths and demanded justice for the two Nigerians.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, called on relevant South African authorities to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths in a thorough and transparent manner.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria calls on the relevant South African authorities to immediately commence thorough and transparent investigations into the circumstances surrounding the two killings with a view to ensuring that those responsible for the murder are identified and brought to justice in accordance with the law.
“Nigeria expects that this matter would be accorded the attention and urgency required,” the statement added.
