Nollywood’s iconic action film franchise, Issakaba, has returned to the big screen with the release of its sequel, Issakaba: The Return, 25 years after the original production made its debut.
The new film, which opened in Nigerian cinemas on Friday, November 13, 2026, reunites veteran actor Sam Dede with filmmaker Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, who directed the 2001 original.
Dede reprises his role as Ebube, the leader of the vigilante group at the centre of the story, as the sequel revisits the themes of crime, community security and the pursuit of justice in a changed Nigeria.
According to reports from the film’s press screening in Lagos, the new production explores a more sophisticated wave of crime and insecurity, bringing the familiar character into a different social landscape.
Imasuen said the sequel was conceived as more than an attempt to revive an old Nollywood favourite, but as an opportunity to revisit the issues that inspired the original film in the context of contemporary Nigeria.
The filmmaker noted that the new production takes the story from 2001 into a country facing new forms of crime, technological changes and security challenges.
The sequel features a blend of established actors and contemporary entertainers, including Chiwetalu Agu, Chidi Mokeme, Iyabo Ojo, Regina Daniels, Alex Osifo, Charles Okafor, Nosa Rex, Mark Angel and Phyna.
The original Issakaba, released in 2001, drew inspiration from the activities of the Bakassi Boys, a vigilante group that emerged in parts of south-eastern Nigeria in the late 1990s.
The film followed Ebube and members of the Issakaba group as they confronted criminals terrorising their community, combining action, suspense, traditional mysticism and themes of grassroots security.
Its portrayal of vigilante justice, community intervention and the limitations of conventional security structures helped establish its place in the home-video era of Nollywood.
Twenty-five years later, Issakaba: The Return revisits those concerns against the backdrop of Nigeria’s contemporary security challenges, while bringing together familiar faces and a new generation of performers.
The film is directed and co-produced by Imasuen and distributed by Blue Pictures.
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