Linda Ikeji’s new movie, The Night of June 7th, will no longer arrive in Nigerian cinemas on its planned release date after the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) halted its release and sent the film to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further review.
The movie was scheduled to open in cinemas on 28 August, but the NFVCB instructed that its cinema release and public exhibition be suspended.
The decision is connected to the subject of the film, which is based on the 2005 killing of six young people in Abuja, an incident commonly known as the Apo Six killings.
The distributor, Nile Entertainment, confirmed that the film had been referred to the DSS. The company said the release would remain suspended while the relevant authorities review the movie.
Ikeji has also acknowledged the development. The media entrepreneur said the production team would cooperate with the authorities and wait for the necessary clearance before deciding on a new release date.
No replacement cinema date has been announced for The Night of June 7th.
The story behind the film
The Night of June 7th takes inspiration from the deaths of six young Nigerians in Abuja in 2005.
The six victims were Ifeanyi Ozo, Chinedu Meniru, Isaac Ekene, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwokike and Augustina Arebun. They were stopped by police officers while returning from a night out, and the incident later became the subject of a high-profile criminal case.
Several police officers were prosecuted over the killings. Two officers, Ezekiel Acheneje and Baba Emmanuel, were eventually convicted and sentenced to death, while three others were acquitted. The case remained a significant part of public discussion about police conduct and accountability in Nigeria.
Ikeji's film uses the events as the basis for a dramatic story rather than presenting itself as a documentary account of the case.
Ikeji's move into filmmaking
The project was written and produced by Linda Ikeji and directed by Toka McBaror.
The cast includes Gideon Okeke, Femi Branch, Ali Nuhu and Charles Lenny.
Ikeji had previously promoted the film as a story drawn from one of the most disturbing criminal cases in Abuja's recent history. Its planned cinema release was expected to mark another major step in her move into film production.
The NFVCB's intervention means audiences will have to wait for the outcome of the review before the movie can be shown in cinemas.
The Night of June 7th currently has no new release date.
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