Lancelot Imasuen On Bakassi Boys’ Attack Over ‘Issakaba’

Nollywood filmmaker Lancelot Imasuen has revealed the deep fear that surrounded the release of his iconic 2001 blockbuster film Issakaba, disclosing that the infamous vigilante group, the Bakassi Boys, arrested and punished the movie’s main distributor in Aba.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Imasuen described the incident as one of the “most unbelievable moments” of his life.

He explained that the vigilante group was angered by how accurately the movie portrayed their operations. The filmmakers had closely followed real-time news reports about the Bakassi Boys while producing the movie, which raised suspicions among the group’s leadership.

According to Imasuen, the distributor in Aba was “dealt with,” while veteran actor Sam Dede, who played the lead character Ebube, was physically accosted by members of the group while traveling from Aba to Port Harcourt.

“They were dealt with and they felt like the film went too far. They were asking, how did we know so much about them? Sam Dede was accosted in Aba while traveling to Port Harcourt,” Imasuen recalled.

He noted that despite the serious safety threats and fears of further retaliation, the overwhelming success of the movie kept the team moving forward.

Imasuen also pointed out that Issakaba faced intense market competition upon its release, with four other movies centered on vigilante justice including Great Vigilante, Bakassi Boys, and Ashes to Ashes hitting the market on the exact same day.