The Nigerian government has been criticized for its inaction over the killings of its citizens in South Africa. On September 4, 2026, a Nigerian cleric, Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle, was assassinated by unknown gunmen in Johannesburg. This incident occurred just 24 hours before another Nigerian, Mr. James Uchechukwu Nwankwo, reportedly died after being subjected to "gruesome interrogation techniques" by South African police officers.
According to the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, these two incidents brought the total number of Nigerians killed in South Africa in 2026 to eight, with four of them allegedly killed by South African police officers. The High Commissioner also stated that over 100 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa between 2022 and 2026, including more than 30 allegedly killed by officers of the South African Police Service and the South African Defence Force.
Despite repeated expressions of concern, Chief Fani-Kayode stated that "not one person has been arrested, detained, prosecuted or brought to justice" for these crimes. He called on the South African Government to do more to protect Nigerians and ensure that those responsible for the killings are brought to justice. The Nigerian government has so far limited its response to condemnation of the latest killings.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party, guarantee the right to life and protect the dignity and security of every person. These international human rights instruments also establish the obligations to investigate unlawful killings and torture, prosecute those responsible where there is relevant admissible evidence, and provide effective remedies to victims and their families.
The Federal Government has a constitutional and international human rights obligation to protect Nigerians and to take effective measures to secure justice when their rights are violated abroad. Human rights experts argue that Nigeria has a duty to take concrete steps to secure accountability and justice for its citizens killed or abused abroad.
A recent judgment by the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in Beneficiaries of Late Norbert Zongo and Others v Burkina Faso (Application No. 013/2011) found Burkina Faso responsible for failing to properly investigate the assassination of investigative journalist Norbert Zongo and his companions. The court ordered reparations to their families and beneficiaries.
The situation is further complicated by a fresh deadline reportedly issued to African nationals, including Nigerians, to leave South Africa by September 30, 2026. The Nigerian government faces mounting pressure to take decisive action to protect its citizens and ensure that those responsible for the killings are brought to justice.
Key points
- Nigeria's federal government has a constitutional and international human rights obligation to protect its citizens abroad.
- Over 100 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa between 2022 and 2026.
- No one has been arrested, detained, prosecuted or brought to justice for the killings of Nigerians in South Africa.
