Iyke Bede
Twenty-five years after its debut, Nollywood action classic ‘Issakaba’ is set to return to the big screen with a fifth instalment in the franchise, ‘Issakaba: The Return’, bringing back some of the actors who helped establish the original film’s place in Nigerian movie history.
The new production sees veteran actor Sam Dede reprise his role as Ebube. Excerpts shown during the press screening reveal his character being compelled by the spiritual forces that govern the group’s operations and code of ethics. Dede is also joined by another member of the original cast, Chiwetalu Agu, as well as other actors who played minor roles as members of the Issakaba group.
Their return reunites familiar faces from the 2001 film, which drew inspiration from events surrounding the Bakassi Boys and their confrontation with criminal elements in parts of south-eastern Nigeria.
The latest film, distributed by Blue Pictures, also introduces a new generation of actors, including Chidi Mokeme, whose commanding screen presence and history of playing formidable villains bring a different dimension to the production. Other cast members include Iyabo Ojo, Regina Daniels, Alex Osifo, Charles Okafor and Nosa Rex, among others.
Directed by Lancelot Imasuen, who also directed the original film, ‘Issakaba: The Return’ revisits the story against the backdrop of Nigeria’s contemporary security challenges.
Explaining the motivation behind the project, Imasuen said the return was not simply an attempt to revive an old Nollywood favourite.
“‘The Return’ is about taking a story from 2001 and placing it in the Nigeria of 2026. The Nigeria that a new generation knows. Nigeria of new forms of crime, new technologies, new security challenges, new fears and, hopefully, new solutions,” he said. The filmmaker said the original production was conceived as a reflection of a society struggling with violent crime and the limitations of conventional security structures.
“The original ‘Issakaba’ asked what happens when ordinary people decide they can no longer remain helpless in the face of insecurity. Today, Nigeria must ask a broader question: After 25 years, what have we learnt about keeping our people safe?” Imasuen concluded.
‘Issakaba: The Return’ is scheduled to open in cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2026.