A coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations has protested the reported killing of Nigerians in South Africa, demanding immediate investigations, prosecution of those responsible and stronger protection for Nigerian citizens in the country.

Led by the Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG), alongside the Gani Fawehinmi Movement for a New Nigeria (GFMNN) and the Campaign for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (CCHR), the coalition made the demands in an open protest letter addressed to the Consul-General of South Africa in Lagos, Prof Bobby Moroe.

The letter, dated September 22, 2026, was physically submitted to the South African Consulate in Lagos yesterday.

The coalition said it was expressing its “deepest outrage” over what it described as the continued killing of Nigerians in South Africa, calling for justice for victims and stronger action by both the South African and Nigerian governments.

It urged the South African authorities to protect Nigerians living in the country and described xenophobia as a crime against humanity.

The organisations cited the reported deaths of Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo, alleging that the two Nigerians died following threats and what they described as “gruesome interrogation techniques,” respectively.

According to the coalition, Fakunle and Nwankwo were the seventh and eighth Nigerians allegedly killed in South Africa in 2026, while more than 100 Nigerians had reportedly died in similar circumstances since 2022.

The group further alleged that more than 30 of the deaths involved personnel of the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force.

It also referred to the April 2026 deaths of Nnaemeka Matthew Andrew Ekpeyong and Kelvin Chidicbere Amaramiro, whom it alleged were killed while in the custody of South African security forces.

The coalition called for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the deaths of Fakunle, Nwankwo, Ekpeyong and Amaramiro. It also demanded compensation for their families and guarantees for the safety, dignity and rights of Nigerians living in South Africa.

The organisations recalled Nigeria’s historical support for the struggle against apartheid, citing what they described as financial assistance worth more than $61 billion in today’s value, the nationalisation of BP in 1979, scholarships for South African students, the provision of passports and platforms for African National Congress leaders, as well as Nigeria’s role in promoting the international boycott of the apartheid regime through the United Nations, Commonwealth and Organisation of African Unity.

They argued that the alleged killings violated provisions of several international and regional human rights instruments, including Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 5(b) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The coalition further argued that targeted xenophobic killings could constitute crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.

It warned that failure by the South African authorities to address the allegations could prompt the organisations to seek redress before international and regional judicial bodies, including the International Criminal Court, African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ECOWAS Court of Justice and International Court of Justice.

Represented by CACOBAG Chairman, Toyin Raheem, the coalition also called on the authorities to sign and implement what it described as the Early Warning Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and South Africa.

The organisations said Nigerians were proud of their nationality and would not accept their citizens being treated as “second-class human beings” anywhere in the world.