Nollywood actor Francis Duru, whose portrayal of Ahanna in the 1995 film Rattlesnake helped establish his place in Nigerian cinema, has died at the age of 57.

His family announced his death in a statement posted on his official Instagram page in the early hours of Friday, saying he passed away following a brief illness.

The family expressed gratitude to fans, colleagues and well-wishers for their prayers, love and support, while asking for understanding as they mourned their loss.

Duru’s death marks the end of an acting career that began in 1989 and spanned more than three decades, during which he featured in films that contributed to the growth and popularity of Nollywood.

Although he had started acting several years earlier, his role as Ahanna in Rattlesnake, produced by the late filmmaker Amaka Igwe, brought him wider recognition in 1995 and became one of the defining points of his career.

Born on July 27, 1969, in Cameroon to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Duru completed his early education there before moving to Nigeria for further studies.

He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.

His professional journey reflected both formal theatrical training and years of experience in film, as he continued to build a career in an industry that grew from a relatively modest production environment into an internationally recognised entertainment sector.

Beyond his screen performances, Duru received several awards and honours in recognition of his contributions to acting. In 2020, he won Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) at the Best of Nollywood Awards for his performance in Mboputa.

He was also named a United Nations ambassador of peace, an honour associated with his influence on young people.

His final months had attracted public attention after a video showing him looking frail circulated on social media in June, prompting speculation about his health.

Duru had responded to the reports by describing the footage as “fabricated and malicious” in a video posted on his Instagram account, dismissing claims that he was battling a life-threatening illness.

His death has now brought renewed attention to the concerns that followed the circulation of the footage, although the family’s announcement identified only a brief illness as the cause of his passing.

Away from the screen, Duru was married to Adokiye in 2003, and the couple had four children. The family suffered an earlier bereavement in August 2024 when one of their children, Ifeanyi, died.

Duru’s legacy rests on a body of work that connected him with audiences across generations, particularly through films that helped shape the early years of modern Nigerian home-video entertainment.

His passing leaves behind a career that began in the late 1980s and grew alongside an industry whose performers helped bring Nigerian stories to homes across Africa and beyond.