Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta has revealed that rising insecurity in Nigeria is affecting the production of epic films, with many actors now reluctant to travel to certain locations for movie shoots.
The actor said the fear of kidnapping and attacks, especially during forest-based productions, has forced many filmmakers to reduce epic movie projects, affecting businesses built around the genre.
Chatta made the revelation while reacting to a social media controversy over a video where he disclosed that he had lost 48 horses. The actor explained that the decline in epic film productions was the reason his horse business had suffered major losses.
Insecurity threatens Nigeria’s epic movie industry
According to Chatta, many actors based in Lagos are now hesitant to travel for productions outside the city, particularly to areas affected by security concerns.
He said some colleagues no longer want to participate in epic films because of fears surrounding recent incidents in Oyo State and other parts of the country.
“Actors based in Lagos, if you tell them a movie will be shot in Ibadan, they won’t want to come because of what happened in Oyo. Everyone is scared of filming in the forest, and nobody can blame them,” Chatta said.
The actor revealed that he currently has about 27 horses, the lowest number he has owned since establishing his film village. He explained that he previously purchased horses regularly because of the high demand from epic movie productions.
Chatta said he used to buy horses from communities in the northern part of Nigeria, especially areas close to the Niger Republic border, but reduced his investment because producers have stopped renting them as frequently.
He added that he did not buy new horses this year because the business had slowed down, forcing him to focus more on buying cows instead.
The actor noted that his horses had been used in several major Nollywood epic productions, including Jagun Jagun, House of Gaa, Iyalode, Labake Olododo and Asiri Ade.
He explained that maintaining horses is expensive and that some losses occur naturally because the animals can injure each other despite receiving proper care from handlers and veterinarians.
Chatta also revealed that he had supplied horses to many filmmakers, except Kunle Afolayan, who owns his own horses.
He said 26 horses were rented for Femi Adebayo’s Jagun Jagun, while 50 horses were supplied for Asiri Ade. His horses were also used in other major productions and cultural events, including the Ojude Oba festival.
The actor’s comments highlight the growing challenges facing Nigeria’s entertainment industry, as insecurity continues to affect not only filmmakers but also businesses connected to movie production.
Epic films, which often require large outdoor locations, traditional settings and animals such as horses, have become increasingly difficult and expensive to produce due to safety concerns.
