Nigeria is running out of patience. The country’s ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has warned that continued killings of Nigerians and alleged abuses by South African security officials could strain relations between the two countries.
His warning followed the deaths of Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo in Johannesburg within a day of each other.
Two Deaths, One Growing Concern
Fakunle was reportedly killed at his home in Kensington, Johannesburg, on September 4. According to the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa, two suspects allegedly entered the residence before the bishop was shot multiple times.
Fani-Kayode said he was “mortified and deeply shocked” by the killing, particularly because Fakunle had reportedly received threats before his death.
The ambassador-designate also raised concerns over Nwankwo’s death the following day.
Nwankwo died during an incident involving officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Johannesburg. Fani-Kayode alleged that the Nigerian was subjected to what he called gruesome interrogation techniques before his death.
He said the circumstances surrounding both cases were deeply troubling and demanded urgent attention from South African authorities.
Nigeria Raises the Stakes
Fani-Kayode claimed that the two deaths had pushed the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa in 2026 to eight.
He further alleged that four of those deaths involved South African police officers.
The ambassador-designate also cited a much larger figure, claiming that more than 100 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa since 2022, including more than 30 deaths he attributed to personnel from the SAPS and the South African Defence Force.
Those figures form the basis of his broader criticism of what he described as a persistent lack of accountability.
According to Fani-Kayode, Nigerian concerns have repeatedly been raised with South African authorities, yet he alleged that no arrests, prosecutions or convictions had followed in the cases he referenced.
He described the situation as unacceptable.
Calls for Protection and Accountability
Fani-Kayode urged the South African government to do more to protect Nigerian citizens and ensure that anyone responsible for unlawful killings is investigated and prosecuted.
His message was blunt: nationality should never make someone a target for violence.
He also turned his criticism toward some South African non-governmental organisations, accusing certain groups of displaying what he characterised as racist, xenophobic and Afrophobic behaviour.
He alleged that some of these organisations had threatened African nationals who did not meet a specified deadline and called on the South African government to investigate.
Where wrongdoing is established, he said, the law should be enforced.
A Warning for Nigeria-South Africa Relations
Fani-Kayode also pointed to the treatment of South Africans living in Nigeria, arguing that they are not subjected to comparable targeting by Nigerians or Nigerian security agencies.
He called on South Africa to show the same level of protection toward Nigerians living within its borders.
The ambassador-designate stressed that Nigeria still wants deeper and stronger relations with South Africa.
But he paired that diplomatic message with a warning.
Unless what he described as the cycle of discrimination and violence against Nigerians ends, he said, the relationship could face consequences.
“Our patience is wearing thin,” Fani-Kayode warned.
For Nigeria, the issue is no longer simply about individual criminal cases. The ambassador-designate’s remarks signal growing concern that repeated deaths and allegations of official misconduct could become a broader diplomatic problem between two of Africa’s most influential countries.
