Linda Ikeji's Film Delayed by Government Approval

Nigerian media entrepreneur and blogger Linda Ikeji has said that the release of her new film, “The Night of June 7th”, in Nigerian cinemas has been put on hold until the State Security Services (SSS) gives its approval.

Ms Ikeji produced the drama film, directed by Toka McBaror. The cast features Gideon Okeke, Femi Branch, Ali Nuhu, and Charles Lenny, among others. The film was supposed to start showing in cinemas all over the country on Friday.

“The Night of June 7th” tells the story of the 2005 Apo Six killings, where police officers shot and killed six young Nigerians: Ifeanyi Ozo, Chinedu Meniru, Isaac Ekene, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwokike, and Augustina Arebun, in Abuja.

In 2017, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the victims, aged between 21 and 25, were returning from a night party in 2005 when police officers allegedly killed them.

Five police officers, Danjuma Ibrahim, Othman Abdulsalami, Nicholas Zakaria, Ezekiel Acheneje, and Baba Emmanuel, were taken to court for the alleged killings before Justice Ishaq Bello of the FCT High Court.

Justice Bello later found Mr Acheneje and Mr Emmanuel guilty and sentenced them to death for culpable homicide.

But the court cleared three other officers, including then-Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Ibrahim, Mr Zakaria, and Mr Salami, due to lack of strong evidence. A sixth officer, Mr Abdulsalam, was missing throughout the case and had no legal representation.

This newspaper also reported that Justice Bello found not enough evidence to convict Mr Danjuma, who allegedly ordered the shootings. This ruling made it hard for the families seeking justice, as they rejected the judgment and started plans to appeal.

The police later confirmed that Mr Danjuma was taken back into the force after the court cleared him. The Police Service Commission approved his reinstatement because the court found he was not guilty.

Mr Danjuma got back his rank and received his unpaid salaries from June 2005. A police memo shared by Sahara Reporters showed that authorities planned to send him for a refresher course.

The killings are one of the most shocking cases of alleged police violence in Nigeria's recent history and caused a lot of public anger at the time. The case raised more worries about police accountability and justice for victims of alleged police killings.

On Friday night, Linda Ikeji announced the film’s suspension in a statement on her Instagram page.

She pointed out the sensitive nature of the film's story, which is based on real-life events of the extrajudicial killings.

She wrote: “So our film, The Night of June 7th, which was scheduled for nationwide cinema release today, August 28th, has been put on hold pending DSS clearance, due to the sensitive nature of the story which is based on the real-life accounts of the ‘Apo Six’ extrajudicial killing of 2005.

“While we continue to cooperate with the NFVCB and the DSS, we are determined to continue ‘telling our own stories’, else outsiders tell them without seeking our permission. The Night of June 7th will be worth the wait.”

The suspension happened two days after the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) stepped in to stop the film's planned release, asking for a review because of the sensitive nature of the true events in the story.

The distributor, Nile Entertainment, confirmed the news in a statement on its Instagram page. They said the NFVCB had referred the film to the SSS for further examination before deciding whether to allow it to be released.

The distributor added that both the producer and distributor are following the rules set by the authorities.

“The nationwide theatrical release of ‘The Night of June 7th’, originally scheduled for 28 August, has been placed on hold following a directive from the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

“Nile Entertainment and the film’s producer remain fully compliant with the ongoing review process and will communicate a new release date once the necessary regulatory clearance has been received. We appreciate the patience and continued support of audiences, exhibitors, partners, and the media. Further updates will be shared through our official channels,” Nile Entertainment wrote.