Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has warned that Nigeria’s patience is “wearing thin” over the reported killings of Nigerians and alleged abuses by South African security officials.
Fani-Kayode spoke following the deaths of Nigerian bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo in Johannesburg.
Fakunle was reportedly shot dead at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, on September 4, while Nwankwo died the following day in an incident involving officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa said Fakunle was shot several times after two suspects allegedly gained access to his home.
Reacting to the incident, Fani-Kayode said he was “mortified and deeply shocked” by the bishop’s killing, adding that Fakunle had reportedly received threats before the attack.
“I am equally shocked to hear about the murder of Mr James Uchechukwu Nwankwo by officers of the South African Police Service again in Johannesburg on September 5,” he said.
According to the ambassador-designate, Nwankwo died after what he described as “gruesome interrogation techniques” by South African police officers.
Fani-Kayode claimed that the two deaths brought the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa this year to eight, with four of the deaths allegedly involving South African police officers.
He further claimed that more than 100 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa between 2022 and September 2026, including over 30 allegedly killed by officers of the South African Police Service and the South African Defence Force.
He criticised what he described as the failure to arrest or prosecute those responsible for the deaths.
“What is most disturbing is the fact that, in spite of 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 said.
“This is unacceptable.”
Fani-Kayode called on the South African government to strengthen the protection of Nigerians in the country and ensure that those responsible for the killings are brought to justice.
“No one deserves to be targeted and murdered simply because they are Nigerian,” he said.
The ambassador-designate also accused some South African non-governmental organisations of being “brazenly racist, xenophobic and Afrophobic”, alleging that they had threatened African nationals who failed to comply with a deadline.
He urged the South African government to investigate the groups and enforce the law against anyone found to have acted unlawfully.
Fani-Kayode also said Nigeria had not allowed South Africans living in the country to face similar attacks.
“South Africans are not targeted and killed in Nigeria by our people or our security forces. The least the South African Government can do is to reciprocate this gesture, protect our nationals and address our legitimate concerns,” he said.
He said Nigeria remained committed to building stronger relations with South Africa but insisted that the reported killings and alleged discrimination against Nigerians must stop.
“Whilst we seek to establish stronger and deeper ties with the South African Government, one thing remains clear: if this vicious cycle of discrimination against and killing of our nationals does not stop, there will be consequences.
“Simply put, our patience is wearing thin,” he said.
