Fani-Kayode warning followed the deaths of Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle, who was shot dead at his home in Johannesburg’s Kensington area on 4 September, and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo, who died a day later in an incident involving officers of the South African Police Service.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Fani-Kayode described the killings as evidence of a worsening security crisis facing Nigerians in South Africa and said Nigeria’s patience was wearing thin. Fani-Kayode latest warning marked one of the strongest diplomatic responses yet to the attacks on Nigerians living in the country.
According to the envoy-designate, Fakunle and Nwankwo were the seventh and eighth Nigerians to be killed in South Africa this year. He said four of those deaths were allegedly linked to South African police officers.
The Fani-Kayode warning came as concern grows among Nigerian officials over what they describe as a pattern of violence against their citizens. The diplomat claimed that more than 100 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa since 2022, with more than 30 of those deaths allegedly involving police and defence force personnel.
He did not cite an independent source for those wider figures, and Nigerian authorities have yet to publish a verified breakdown of the cases.
The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa said Fakunle was shot multiple times after two suspects gained access to his home. Community leaders described the killing as a major shock to Nigerians in Johannesburg.
The Nigerian Consulate General has called for a thorough investigation into the incident and urged South African authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
Fani-Kayode warning focused on what he described as a growing climate of hostility towards African migrants. He said certain South African groups had issued a 30 September deadline demanding that Nigerians and other African nationals leave the country.
Fani-Kayode described the groups behind the campaign as racist, xenophobic and Afrophobic. Fani-Kayode urged Pretoria to act decisively against those promoting anti-foreigner rhetoric before tensions escalate further.
The remarks come amid broader diplomatic strain between Africa’s two largest economies. Nigeria’s National Assembly has already suspended all official visits to South Africa in response to continuing attacks on Nigerians.
Lawmakers, parliamentary committees and staff have been directed to avoid legislative engagements hosted by South African authorities until concerns over the safety of Nigerians are addressed.
The Fani-Kayode warning also drew a contrast between the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa and South Africans living in Nigeria. He argued that South African citizens in Nigeria are not subjected to similar attacks and said Pretoria owed Nigerians the same level of protection.
Tensions between the two countries have flared repeatedly in recent years following outbreaks of xenophobic violence and disputes over the treatment of foreign nationals.
Earlier this year, the high commissioner-designate criticised the treatment of a Nigerian journalist during a briefing in South Africa and rejected claims by a South African presidential spokesman that Nigeria and Ghana were spreading misinformation about xenophobic violence.
Today’s Fani-Kayode warning adds a new layer to a series of public disagreements that have strained relations between the two countries since the attacks began.
What began as isolated incidents has evolved into a wider diplomatic dispute. With Nigeria suspending parliamentary visits and Abuja demanding stronger action, the Fani-Kayode warning underscores growing frustration over the safety of Nigerians in South Africa and the future of relations between the two countries.
