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Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 following a brief illness, his family has announced.
The family announced his death on the actor’s official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday, expressing appreciation to those who had offered their support.
“We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness,” the statement read.
“We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”
Duru’s death comes months after he dismissed reports that he was battling a life-threatening illness. The rumours spread in June after footage showing him looking frail circulated on social media.
He subsequently released an Instagram video describing the footage as “fabricated and malicious”.
Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru completed his primary and secondary education in the country before moving to Nigeria to pursue a university degree.
He gained admission to the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he studied Theatre Arts and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.
Duru began his acting career in 1989 with Missing Mark, directed by the late Ndubuisi Oko.
However, he gained wider recognition in 1995 after featuring in Rattlesnake, an action-comedy produced by the late Amaka Igwe, in which he played Ahanna.
Over the years, he received several awards and honours for his contributions to the Nigerian film industry. He was named a United Nations ambassador of peace in recognition of his positive influence on young people.
In 2020, he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa.
Duru married his wife, Adokiye, in 2003, and they had four children together. The family suffered a personal loss in August 2024 when one of their children, Ifeanyi, died.
