The October 25, 2024, period thriller film Hijack '93 directed by Robert Peters is based on a real-life incident from 1993, when a flight was hijacked following the annullment of the 1993 election in Nigeria. Netflix released the movie on October 25, 2024.
The suspenseful 90-minute journey follows the story of four desperate teenagers trying to hijack a plane from Nigerian Airways. The country is under the rule of a violent militarized government and the hijackers demand to have the reigning government peacefully transfer its power to the Social Democratic Party's leader (elected by the people).
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To accomplish the mission, the young and bold Omar (played by Nnamdi Agbo) leads the way for his other team members - Ben (Allison Emmanuel), Dayo (Akinsola Oluwaseyi), and Kayode (Adam Garba), as they threaten to burn the aircraft down.
The movie dives into a suspenseful build-up, as viewers see dramatized glimpses of the plight passengers and hijackers went through.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the movie Hijack '93. Please be advised.
What is the true story behind Hijack '93?
Between the 1980s and the 1990s, Nigeria was under the wraps of socio-political unrest. In 1983, the Nigerian military overthrew President Shehu Shagari's government by staging a coup.
For the next ten years, several military leaders carried on the oppression and kept forcing themselves into authority.
However, a decade later in 1993, the citizens voted for the first time. Consequently, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola won the election on behalf of the Social Democratic Party by more than eight million votes. But in a sad turn of events, democracy still could not win.
The military again established an authoritarian government and disbanded the newly formed regime. Nationwide protests began and some of them took a violent turn.
Is the story of Hijack '93 aligned with the real events?
Similar to the real-life incidents from 1993 Nigeria, Hijack '93 revolves around four teenagers hijacking a plane to protest the oppressive military rule in their country to support the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy.
The hijackers take control of the plane by using weapons that they secretly smuggled on board through a crew member. Their only demand is that the leader of the Socialist Democratic Party be given ruling power (after he was unlawfully overthrown by annulling the election).
As the hijackers are forced to land the plane in Niger for refueling, the Nigerian Army arrives at the scene and takes control of the situation, making sure the plane is not able to take off again. The hijack goes on for three days as the crew members and passengers are held hostage.
The movie portrays scenes from the hijack where Omar and his team keep the passengers under control by using smuggled guns. They even threaten to burn down the plane if their demands are not met.
As the army starts arresting the hijackers' family members, Ben accidentally shoots a passenger in the heated atmosphere.
Hijack '93 has shown how the hijackers and their families have been the victims of the violent military rule over the years. Director Robert Peters has used real stories that have reportedly made the viewers empathize with the pain of the hijackers.
However, certain aspects of the movie are fictionalized. For example, the real hijackers weren't in cahoots with crew members, and the gun the hijackers used to enter the cockpit was not real. No pregnancy took place on the plane, the real hijackers didn't surrender, they were arrested.
Additionally, their names and lives were also changed for the movie.
Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.
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