A Nigerian community abroad is demanding answers after the killing of one of its clergy.
The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has called for a thorough investigation after Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle, 58, was allegedly shot dead at his residence in Johannesburg, Vanguard and PM News reported.
The alleged killing is reported to have taken place on Friday 4 September 2026 at the cleric’s home. NICASA raised the case publicly on Thursday.
From Ekiti to Johannesburg
Reports identify Fakunle as an indigene of Iye in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, who had been serving his congregation in South Africa.
According to the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA), the attackers fired several shots at Fakunle, hitting him more than seven times.
NICASA National President, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, who disclosed the incident in a statement on Thursday, said the killing had caused deep pain among the victim’s relatives, friends and members of the Nigerian community.
Onyekwelu described the reported attack as a senseless act of violence and raised concerns about the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa.
A community under strain
“This was not merely an ordinary loss of life; it was a horrific and senseless act of violence that has robbed a family of a loved one and the Nigerian community of another precious life,” he said.
Following the incident, NICASA said it notified the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg. The association also confirmed that a murder case had been opened at Jeppe Police Station.
The group called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to urgently establish the circumstances that led to Fakunle’s death and determine who was responsible.
Onyekwelu said the investigation must lead to the identification and arrest of the perpetrators, who should subsequently be prosecuted in accordance with South African law.
“We demand a thorough and credible investigation that will establish exactly what happened, identify all those responsible, apprehend the perpetrators and ensure that they are brought before the courts to face the full might of the law,” he said.
The association’s response frames the killing as part of a wider pattern of violence affecting Nigerian residents and clergy in South Africa — a concern the group has raised repeatedly as public hostility toward foreign nationals intensifies.
The case lands in an uncomfortable moment. The anti-immigration group March and March has set a fresh 30 September deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa, following protests outside the SADC Summit in Durban.
What NICASA wants: a thorough police investigation and accountability. The association says the family and supporters are seeking justice rather than vengeance.
LN247 will follow the case.
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