A Nigerian bishop has been shot dead inside his Johannesburg home. Bishop Fakunle was killed on September 4 as NICASA demands answers and justice from South African authorities.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — Bishop Taiwo Fakunle, a 58-year-old Nigerian cleric, was shot dead at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, on Friday, September 4, with the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa demanding a full investigation into the killing. NICASA said two suspects allegedly entered the residence and opened fire on the bishop.
According to NICASA National President, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, the attackers allegedly shot Fakunle more than seven times during the incident. He said the association had informed the Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg about the killing and that a murder case had been opened at Jeppe Police Station, where investigations were ongoing.
Checks by Newstridez showed that the killing has drawn concern within the Nigerian community in South Africa because NICASA described the incident as part of wider concerns about Nigerians losing their lives to violent crime. The association called for calm and urged Nigerians and community leaders to pursue justice through lawful channels rather than react outside the law.
The killing occurred at Fakunle’s home in Kensington, an area in eastern Johannesburg, according to the statement reported by P.M. News. NICASA said the circumstances surrounding the shooting require a credible investigation that can establish how the suspects gained access to the residence and identify those responsible for the attack.
Onyekwelu said NICASA had already brought the case to the attention of Nigerian diplomatic authorities. He added that the organisation expected the South African Police Service and other relevant authorities to investigate the killing properly, identify the perpetrators and ensure that those found responsible face prosecution under South African law.
NICASA’s appeal places attention on the safety of Nigerians living and working in South Africa, where violent crime has remained a recurring concern for migrant communities. The latest case also carries particular weight because Fakunle was not only a Nigerian citizen but a bishop whose death has affected his family, church community, fellow Ekiti indigenes and Nigerians living across the country.
The association expressed condolences to Fakunle’s family, friends and church members while also extending sympathy to Ekiti indigenes and the wider Nigerian community in South Africa. NICASA said violent deaths should not become normalised and urged community leaders to remain calm while authorities work to establish what happened.
The statement identified Friday, September 4, as the date of the killing, while the report published on September 10 said the investigation remained ongoing. NICASA said the murder case had been opened at Jeppe Police Station, meaning the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the identities of the suspects remain matters for investigators to establish.
The case also puts pressure on Nigerian diplomatic officials in South Africa to maintain contact with local investigators. NICASA specifically urged Nigerian authorities to monitor the investigation and remain engaged with South African officials until the circumstances surrounding Fakunle’s death become clear and those responsible face the legal process.
For Nigerians following the case from home and abroad, the killing raises familiar concerns about the safety of citizens who live outside Nigeria. South Africa remains home to a large Nigerian community, including professionals, entrepreneurs, religious leaders, students and other residents who have built lives across several provinces.
NICASA’s call therefore extends beyond the individual case. The organisation wants authorities to demonstrate that the death of a Nigerian citizen will receive proper police attention and that suspects, once identified and linked to the crime through evidence, will face prosecution rather than allowing the case to fade without accountability.
As at the time of filing this report, NICASA had called for a thorough and credible investigation, while the murder case at Jeppe Police Station remained under investigation. No further details about arrests, possible motives or the identities of the suspects appeared in the report reviewed by Newstridez.
The next stage will depend on the outcome of the South African police investigation and any further information released by the authorities or Nigerian diplomatic representatives. NICASA has made clear that it wants those responsible for Bishop Fakunle’s death identified and prosecuted, while the Nigerian community awaits further developments.
