Nigeria Condemns Killing of Nationals by South African Police

Femi Fani-Kayode, the Nigerian High Commissioner-Designate to South Africa, condemned the alleged torture and killing of Nigerian nationals by the South African Police Service. The outcry follows a leaked video showing a Nigerian man being beaten to death in his home and suffocated with a plastic bag.

Fani-Kayode reported that at least 90 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa by security forces, mobs, and Afrophobic groups since 2022. Six deaths occurred in 2026, three of which were allegedly caused by police. He specifically cited incidents in Cape Town involving the torture of a national to death and the shooting of another with a rubber bullet during a protest.

During a meeting with the South African Foreign Minister on Monday, Fani-Kayode raised these concerns. Both parties agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and de-escalate rhetoric to stabilize the situation.