CSOs kick against NFVCB suspension of Apo Six film, say story deserves to be remembered not erased from public memory
By Ishaya Ibrahim
A coalition of civil society organisations has kicked against the suspension of the nationwide release of The Night of June 7th, a film based on the 2005 killing of six young Nigerians in Abuja, popularly known as the Apo Six killings, warning that unexplained security scrutiny of films depicting historical abuses could undermine artistic freedom and efforts to preserve public memory.
The Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), in a statement signed by 20 civil society organisations, expressed concern over the decision to halt the film’s release after the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) reportedly referred it to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further review.
The film was scheduled for nationwide cinema release on August 28, 2026, but remains on hold pending the outcome of the security review.
The coalition said the Apo Six killings remain a significant part of Nigeria’s human-rights and policing history, noting that the incident sparked widespread public outrage and was followed by official investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings, with the resulting convictions and acquittals forming part of the public record.
It questioned why a film portraying events that occurred more than two decades ago should be subjected to what it described as an apparently open-ended security review without a clear public explanation of the national-security concern involved.
“The mere fact that a historical episode is considered sensitive, controversial or uncomfortable cannot, without more, provide sufficient justification for preventing or indefinitely delaying its retelling,” the group said.
While acknowledging the statutory role of the NFVCB in regulating films and recognising that freedom of expression is not absolute, the coalition argued that restrictions on artistic expression must have a clear legal basis and satisfy the principles of legitimacy, necessity and proportionality.
The reported involvement of the DSS, it added, raises questions that require public answers, including what specific aspect of the film raises a national-security concern, the legal basis for the referral, the criteria guiding the review and the timeframe for its conclusion.
The coalition warned that subjecting artistic works dealing with alleged abuses by state institutions to unexplained security scrutiny could create a chilling effect beyond the film industry.
“Subjecting artistic works dealing with alleged abuses by state institutions to unexplained security scrutiny risks creating a chilling effect on filmmakers, journalists, writers, researchers and human-rights defenders seeking to document and interrogate Nigeria’s history,” it said.
It also cited Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, arguing that artistic expression and historical storytelling fall within the democratic space protected by the provision.
The group called on the NFVCB to publicly disclose the legal and factual basis for referring The Night of June 7th to the DSS, identify the specific concern necessitating the additional review and provide a clear and reasonable timeline for concluding the process.
It further urged the NFVCB and DSS to ensure that the review does not become an indefinite delay or a de facto ban on the film.
“Unless there is a specific and demonstrable legal basis for restricting its exhibition, consistent with the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality, the regulatory process should be promptly concluded and the film allowed to proceed through the normal classification and exhibition process,” the coalition said.
The organisations stressed that historical memory is essential to accountability, arguing that societies learn from institutional failures by documenting, examining and openly discussing difficult episodes in their history.
“The Apo Six story is part of Nigeria’s history. Whatever one’s assessment of the film itself, the events it seeks to portray deserve to remain within public memory and democratic discussion,” the statement said.
The coalition concluded: “The Apo Six story deserves to be remembered, examined and told—not erased from public memory.”
