The wait is finally over for Nollywood fans. The Issakaba The Return release date is confirmed as Friday, 13 November 2026, when the long-awaited sequel opens in cinemas across Nigeria. And the comeback has already begun: a special screening of the film is being held today, Sunday 8 November 2026, in Port Harcourt, five days before the nationwide release. Twenty-five years after the original Issakaba became a home-video legend, Ebube is coming back to the big screen.
Image Credit: LIAM Studios TV — Official Trailer via YouTube
A Special Screening Today in Port Harcourt
Before the film reaches cinemas everywhere, Port Harcourt gets the first look. Issakaba: The Return is screening today, Sunday 8 November 2026, at Julirose Hotel & Suites in Port Harcourt from 4pm, ahead of its nationwide cinema release on 13 November. Tickets for the special screening start from ₦15,000, with group and family packages also available.
The Port Harcourt event is the sequel’s first public screening, and it sets the tone for the release week. Veteran actor Sam Dede, who returns as Ebube, has been at the centre of the build-up, and the screening gives fans in the city a chance to see the film before everyone else. For a franchise that grew up on VHS tapes and living-room viewings, a cinema-first return is a statement in itself.
25 Years After the Original
The original Issakaba arrived in 2001 and became one of the most talked-about Nigerian action films of its time. Directed by Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, it drew its story from the real-life activities of the Bakassi Boys, the vigilante group that battled armed robbery and ritual crime in south-eastern Nigeria in the early 2000s, and from the famous case of prophet Eddy Nawgu in Anambra State. Its mix of street justice, traditional mysticism and raw action made it a home-video classic, and its hero Ebube became one of Sam Dede’s most recognisable roles.
The sequel arrives exactly 25 years later, and the makers have leaned into that passage of time. The promotional campaign asks one question above all others: “Will Issakaba Ever Return?” The tagline answers it with a warning: “you can run, but you can’t hide… duty calls.” The new film is set a generation after the original events, in a city where evil has grown more sophisticated and communities are once again searching for answers.
Sam Dede first teased the revival himself, in an Instagram post on 27 January 2024, writing: “ISSAKABA!!! The Myth returns. A RIVER DOES NOT FLOW THROUGH A FOREST WITHOUT BRINGING DOWN TREES. Men with evil minds lurk in the dark. But… JUSTICE IS MINE.” Principal photography then took place in Asaba, Delta State, and wrapped in early 2024, with the film spending the time since in post-production.
That long wait is exactly why the Issakaba The Return release date has generated so much excitement among Nollywood fans.
Sam Dede Returns as Ebube — Older, and a Father Now
The heart of the Issakaba The Return release date news is the return of Sam Dede as Ebube, the fearless leader of the Issakaba Boys. In the new film, Ebube is an older figure now — and a father. His young son dreams of one day becoming an Issakaba himself, which gives the sequel a generational thread the original never had: the legend is being passed on, even as the fight continues.
For fans tracking the Issakaba The Return release date, Dede’s return is the biggest reason to mark the calendar.
The trailer, released on 1 October 2026 through LIAM Studios TV, introduces a new generation of Issakaba members alongside familiar faces from the original. It also raises the question at the centre of the film: when people take on the responsibility of protecting others, where does justice end and violence begin? That question feels as relevant now as the original story did in 2001.
Around Dede, the sequel assembles one of the widest ensemble casts in recent Nollywood. Chidi Mokeme, Iyabo Ojo, Regina Daniels, Mark Angel, Phyna and Itele D Icon are all part of the new film, alongside returning names such as Chiwetalu Agu and Sir Alex Usifo, plus Nosa Rex, Francis Onwochei, Charles Okafor, Abarex, Benjamin Olaye and Sani Danja. The mix of veteran actors, comedy stars and younger faces is deliberate: the film wants to speak both to audiences who grew up with the original and to a generation that knows Issakaba mainly through nostalgia and online clips.
The Team Behind the Return
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, fondly known in the industry as D’Gvnor, returns as both director and producer, having also directed the original. The film is backed by Lancelot Imasuen Media Network Limited, LIAM Studios, WithinDlens Limited and Laho Music Worldwide Studios, with Blue Pictures Distribution handling the theatrical release across Nigeria.
The screenplay is written by Steph Boyo, with additional screenplay work credited to Bibi of the Buj. Behind the camera, Mister Views serves as director of photography, Leo Billions leads the visual effects team, and Abel Chiviks and Voltex Storm Studios handle stunt coordination and fight choreography. Victor Adere is responsible for the soundtrack, and the production lists a large technical team across sound, costumes and set design — a sign of how much bigger the sequel’s scale is compared with the home-video original.
With the Issakaba The Return release date now confirmed, the team behind the film is in the final stretch of its release campaign.
Issakaba The Return Release Date and What to Expect
The Issakaba The Return release date is Friday, 13 November 2026, with the film opening in cinemas nationwide across Nigeria. The release was confirmed by director Lancelot Imasuen during a press screening of the sequel in Lagos, and the date has since been repeated across Nollywood trade coverage.
What can audiences expect? The official synopsis frames a city facing a new, more sophisticated form of evil, with death moving through the streets and communities trembling. The production describes the new threat as something that has risen beyond control, and the story asks whether Issakaba will return when darkness appears to have won. Expect the franchise’s familiar blend of action, drama and supernatural conflict, now with modern visual effects and large-scale stunt work.
No OTT or streaming date has been announced yet. For now, the film is a cinema-only release, and the makers are clearly betting that the 25-year nostalgia — plus a cast that spans three generations of Nollywood — will fill seats in the opening weekend.
Anyone searching for the Issakaba The Return release date should note that opening-weekend tickets are expected to move fast once the buzz from the Port Harcourt screening spreads.
If you are a fan of big-screen comebacks this month, also read our piece on another November release, Ebenezer, Johnny Depp’s dark take on A Christmas Carol, which arrives in cinemas on 13 November too: https://filmyyfly.com/2026/11/09/ebenezer-release-date/
5 Exciting Details About Issakaba: The Return
- The date is locked. Issakaba: The Return opens in Nigerian cinemas nationwide on Friday, 13 November 2026, distributed by Blue Pictures.
- Sam Dede is back as Ebube. The veteran actor reprises the role that defined his career, now as an older Ebube whose son dreams of following in his footsteps.
- A special screening happens today. Port Harcourt hosts the film at Julirose Hotel & Suites on Sunday 8 November 2026 from 4pm, five days before the nationwide release.
- The cast spans generations. Chidi Mokeme, Iyabo Ojo, Regina Daniels, Mark Angel, Phyna, Nosa Rex, Chiwetalu Agu and Sir Alex Usifo join Dede in a large ensemble.
- The trailer is already out. The official trailer arrived on 1 October 2026 via LIAM Studios TV, and you can watch it below.
Watch the Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Issakaba The Return release date?
The Issakaba The Return release date is Friday, 13 November 2026, when the film opens in cinemas across Nigeria.
Who plays Ebube in Issakaba: The Return?
Sam Dede returns as Ebube, the fearless leader of the Issakaba Boys, a role he first played in the 2001 original.
Who directed Issakaba: The Return?
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, who also directed the original 2001 film, directs and produces the sequel.
Is there a trailer for Issakaba: The Return?
Yes. The official trailer was released on 1 October 2026 through LIAM Studios TV and is embedded above.
Where can I watch Issakaba: The Return?
The film opens in Nigerian cinemas on 13 November 2026. No OTT or streaming release date has been announced yet.
What is the original Issakaba based on?
The 2001 original drew inspiration from the real-life Bakassi Boys vigilante group in south-eastern Nigeria and the case of prophet Eddy Nawgu.
With the Issakaba The Return release date now less than a week away, the Port Harcourt screening today is the first real test of the film’s buzz. If the turnout matches the online excitement, 13 November could be one of the biggest Nollywood opening weekends of the year. Keep the Issakaba The Return release date in mind as premiere week unfolds.
Image Credit: LIAM Studios TV — Official Trailer via YouTube
