On October 25, 1993, four teenage members of Movement for the Actualisation of Democracy (MAD) hijacked an Abuja-bound Nigeria Airways aircraft and diverted it to Niger Republic. Their grouse? They wanted Chief MKO Abiola’s stolen electoral mandate restored to him. Though they did not succeed in their quest and were imprisoned, 29 years later, a film is being made about them.
Charles Okpaleke of Play Network Studios had in 2021 announced he was collaborating with Rogers Ofime’s Native Media and Agozie Ugwu on a movie about 1993 hijack event, giving its title as Hijack 93: The Mad Men and the Aircraft. Last month, the UK-based filmmaker, Femi Oyeniran, the UK Government Department of International Trade (DIT) and the British Film Institute (BFI) were mentioned as new partners for the project.
Yesterday, Play Network Studios released a teaser video featuring three of the four MAD members who hijacked the plane. The post, which was shared via the company’s official Instagram handle, had the caption:
Two years ago, we interviewed 3 out of the 4 young Nigerians who Hijacked a plane in Nigeria, in 1993, to protest the annulment of the June 12 elections.
After spending over a decade in prison, at such a prime moment in their lives; we are privileged today, to listen to them give us a detailed description of how they Hijacked that plane, and we will tell their story with everything we have.
Hijack 93’ will be a feature film for the books, for history and for generations to come; in partnership with the British film Institute of the UK government.
Auditions September 10, 2022
Play Network Studios
Mostly known for remakes of old Nollywood films, Play Network Studios will be doing something different if it goes ahead with Hijack 93. The company is behind Nollywood titles like Aki and Pawpaw, Nneka the Pretty Serpent, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free and, recently, Glamour Girls.
Watch the teaser below:
