Nollywood: AGN President Reveals How Veteran Actor Francis Duru Died At 57 After Slipping Into Coma

According to a report by The Vanguard on Saturday, October 24, 2026, the Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into deep mourning following the shocking death of veteran Nollywood actor, Francis Duru, who passed away at the age of 57.

According to an official statement released by his family on Friday, the beloved actor died after a brief illness.

Confirming the tragic news, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Yakubu, disclosed that Duru was not diagnosed with any underlying ailment before his death.

He revealed that the actor slipped into a coma three days earlier, briefly regained consciousness, but sadly slipped back into a coma and did not survive.

Tributes have continued to pour in from across the country. President Bola Tinubu expressed heartfelt condolences, describing Duru’s death as a painful loss to the creative community and praising his immense contributions to shaping Nollywood’s artistic identity.

Close friend and colleague Charles Inojie, alongside the National Film and Video Censors Board and the Nigerian Film Corporation, also paid glowing tributes, remembering him as a thoroughbred professional, cultural ambassador, and a brilliant thespian.

Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt.

He began his acting career in 1989 and rose to national prominence in 1995 with his unforgettable breakout performance as Ahanna in Amaka Igwe’s classic action-film, Rattlesnake.

Over a career spanning more than three decades, he starred in numerous blockbusters, including Blood Money and Mboputa, and was honored as a United Nations Ambassador of Peace in 2007.

His passing comes just months after he publicly debunked viral social media reports claiming he was battling a life-threatening illness. He is survived by his wife, Adokiye, and their children.

StanDailyScripts feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com