Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at the age of 57 after a brief illness, his family has announced.
The family confirmed his passing in a statement posted in the early hours of Friday, October 23, on his verified Instagram account, @francis.duru.
“We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness. We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen,” the statement read.
His death comes four months after he dismissed reports that he was battling a life-threatening illness. A video of the actor looking frail had circulated on social media, sparking concern about his health. Duru, however, described the claims as false and malicious and urged the public to disregard them.
Duru was widely recognised for playing Ahanna in the 1995 film Rattlesnake, produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe. He also won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) award at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa.
His death marks the loss of an actor whose career in the Nigerian film industry spanned more than three decades.
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