The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the aegis of the Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), have called on the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to explain the legal and factual basis for referring The Night of June 7th – a film based on the 2005 killing of six young Nigerians in Abuja – to the Department of State Services (DSS) for review.

The group warned that subjecting artistic works dealing with historical abuses by state institutions to unexplained security scrutiny could create a chilling effect on filmmakers, journalists, writers, researchers and human rights defenders.

In a statement signed by 21 CSOs, the bodies lamented that the film, which was scheduled for nationwide cinema release on August 28, 2026, remains on hold following the reported referral to the DSS because of the sensitive nature of the events on which it is based.

The CSOs include the African Focus for Youth Development (AFFYD) Kano, Centre for Peace Education and Community Development, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Centre for Justice, Empowerment and Development (C4J), and the Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD Nigeria), among others.

According to the groups, “the Apo Six killings remain an important part of Nigeria’s human rights and policing history, with the incident generating widespread public outrage and followed by official investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings. The convictions and acquittals arising from the case are matters of public record.”