The Nigerian CitizensAssociation South Africa(NICASA) has condemned the killing of58-year-old Nigerian cleric, BishopTaiwo Michael Fakunle, in Johannesburg andcalled for a thorough, transparent and credible investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
NICASA National President, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, said in astatement on Thursday that Fakunle was killed on Friday, September 4, 2026, at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg.
According to Onyekwelu, two suspects allegedly gained access to the bishop’s residence and opened fire on him, reportedly shooting him more than seven times.
He said NICASA had notified theConsulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg of the incident, while a murder case had been opened at Jeppe Police Station and investigations were ongoing.
NICASA urged theSouth African Police Service (SAPS) and other relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing, identifyand arrest those responsible, and ensure that they are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The association also called on Nigerian diplomatic authorities in South Africa to maintain close engagement with the relevant South African authorities and monitor the investigation to ensure that the case does not go unresolved.
Onyekwelu expressed concern that Fakunle’s killing had added to a long-running pattern of violence in which Nigerians and other African migrants have lost their lives in South Africa.
The concern comes amid renewed diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and South Africaover the safety of Nigerians in the country. In July, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, told a visiting South African delegation that at least 98 Nigerians had beenkilled in South Africa since 2022 in mob actions, hate-related attacks and alleged extra-judicial killings.
He described the pattern as a form of “Afrophobia” and urged South Africa to take urgentand concrete measures to protect foreign nationals.
The Federal Government said the pattern of anti-migrant violence had been recorded during several periods, including 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026. Enikanolaiye stressed that Nigerians accused of criminal offences should be arrestedand prosecuted rather than subjected to mob violence or extrajudicial punishment.
The history of attacks is considerably older. Violence against migrants in South Africa intensified during the post-apartheid period, with major xenophobic attacks recorded in 2008, when dozens of people were killed and thousands displaced.
Nigerians have subsequently been among the foreign nationals repeatedly affected by shootings, mob attacks, vigilante violence and alleged unlawful use of force. A 2026 review by the News Agency of Nigeria, drawing on figures from NUSA and NICASA, said more than 127 Nigerians were killed in South Africa between 2000 and 2020, although the causes of those deaths varied and were not all classified as xenophobic attacks.
In May 2026, NUSA and NICASA separately said atleast 105 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa over the preceding seven years. The organisations said the deaths included victims of xenophobic incidents, alleged extra-judicial killings, mob attacks, vigilante violence, shootings and unlawful use of force.
The figure is broader than the federal government’s later countof 98 deaths since 2022 andcovers a differentperiod and setof incidents.
The killings have continued in 2026. In February, NICASA condemned the death of Emeka Clement Uzor, an Enugu State indigene whowas reportedly shot dead in Windsor, Randburg, Johannesburg. The association called for a full and impartial investigation into the circumstances of his death.
In July, NICASA also demanded justice over the death of another Nigerian, Chika Ibe, whothe association alleged died following severe beating, torture, inhumane treatment and alleged suffocation during a South African police operation in Bellville, Cape Town. NICASA called for an independent and comprehensive investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and SAPS.
Against this background, NICASA said Fakunle’s death should not be treated as another isolated statistic.
The association urged the South African authorities to demonstrate their commitment to the rule oflaw by bringingthe perpetrators to justice and ensuring that the investigation is conducted without fear or favour.
It further appealed to Nigerians and community leaders across South Africa to remain calm and law-abiding, stressing that grievances must be pursued through lawful and diplomatic channels.
The association also called for stronger cooperation between Nigerian diplomatic missions, South African law-enforcement agencies and Nigerian community organisations to improvethe protection ofNigerians and ensure that reported cases of violence receive prompt attention.
NICASA expressed its condolences to Fakunle’s family, friends, church community, fellow Ekiti indigenes and the wider Nigerian community in South Africa.
The association said the death of the bishop wasnot only apainful loss to his loved ones but another reminder of the urgent need for stronger protection of Nigerians and other African migrants living and working in South Africa.
The latest reporting also indicates that the House of Representatives has now suspended official parliamentary visits and legislative participation in South Africa over continuing anti-migrant violence, adding a significant new diplomatic dimension tothe story. The Federal Government cited 98 deaths since 2022 and that 1,695 Nigerians had voluntarily evacuated South Africa in 2026.