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Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has condemned the alleged killing of two Nigerians in Johannesburg, South Africa, describing the incidents as “unacceptable” and warning that the patience of Nigerians is wearing thin.
Fani-Kayode, who is the Nigerian High Commission to South Africa designate, said he was “mortified and deeply shocked” by the reported murder of Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle by assailants in Johannesburg on September 4.
According to him, Bishop Fakunle had allegedly received a series of threats before his attackers went to his home and shot him dead.
He expressed equal concern over the reported death of another Nigerian, James Uchechukwu Nwankwo, allegedly at the hands of officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Johannesburg on September 5.
Fani-Kayode alleged that Nwankwo died from what he described as “gruesome interrogation techniques” employed by the South African police.
He said the two incidents had heightened concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa.
“Bishop Fakunle and Mr Nwankwo are the seventh and eighth Nigerians to have been murdered in South Africa this year alone,” he said, adding that four of the eight were allegedly killed by South African police officers.
Fani-Kayode further claimed that more than 100 Nigerians had been murdered in South Africa between 2022 and September 2026, with more than 30 allegedly killed by personnel of the South African Police Service and the South African Defence Force.
He expressed concern that, despite repeated complaints and expressions of concern over the alleged killings, no person had, to his knowledge, been arrested, detained, prosecuted or brought to justice over any of the incidents, a situation he described as “unacceptable.”
Fani-Kayode called on the South African Government to take stronger measures to protect Nigerians in the country and ensure that those responsible for the alleged killings were brought to justice.
“No-one deserves to be targeted and murdered simply because they are Nigerian,” he said.
He added that the Nigerian community in South Africa was “deeply disturbed” by the developments and was living in fear over what might happen next.
The Nigerian Mission in South Africa, he said, was equally concerned about the situation.
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Fani-Kayode also raised alarm over what he described as a fresh deadline issued to African nationals, including Nigerians, to leave South Africa by September 30.
According to him, the deadline was issued by some South African non-governmental organisations which he accused of being “brazenly racist, xenophobic and Afrophobic.”
He alleged that some of the organisations had openly threatened African nationals who failed to comply with the directive.
Fani-Kayode urged the South African Government to protect Nigerians and other African nationals from what he called the excesses of such groups and to enforce the law against anyone making threats or engaging in unlawful conduct.
“We also call on the South African Government to bring to justice those that take pleasure in traumatising, terrorising, torturing and killing our nationals,” he said.
While expressing a desire for stronger relations between Nigeria and South Africa, Fani-Kayode warned that continued attacks against Nigerians could have consequences.
“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,” he said.
“Simply put, our patience is wearing thin.”
Fani-Kayode also contrasted the situation with the treatment of South Africans in Nigeria, saying: “South Africans are not targeted and killed in Nigeria by our people or our security forces.”
He urged the South African Government to reciprocate what he described as Nigeria’s hospitality towards South Africans by protecting Nigerians living in the country and addressing their concerns.
He commiserated with the families of the two deceased Nigerians.
“May the souls of Bishop Taiwo Fakunle and Mr. James Uchechukwu Nwankwo rest in peace,” he said.
