Upamanyu Biswas
The thriller drama ‘Hijack ’93’ captures the true story of the 1993 hijacking of Nigerian Airways Airbus A310 by four teenagers who commandeered the Lagos to Abuja flight to the neighboring Republic of Niger. At the helm of the aircraft, Captain Ambrose is faced with the terrifying prospect and responsibility of safeguarding the lives of his passengers while also doing what is best for the survival of everybody. To make matters complicated, his co-pilot’s fiance, Ada, is stuck in the plane with them, making the whole situation a tenuous battle of wills. However, his duty as the head of the flight crew forces him to take into account what is possible and take a backseat to the situation when needed. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Captain Ambrose is a Fictional Pilot With Vague Ties to Reality
Although ‘Hijack ’93’ is based on true events that transpired on October 25, 1993, parts of the film are fictionalized to offer a greater scope to the narrative. As such, certain discrepancies exist between the dramatized version of the story and the actual case, and Captain Ambrose is one of them. He is a fictional character conceived by scriptwriter Musa Jeffery David, who likely drew upon the character’s inspiration from the real pilot in situ during the hijacking event. However, some of the plot points involving Captain Ambrose in the narrative are designed specifically for the movie and did not happen in reality, which includes his and his co-pilot’s investigation of a traitor among the flight staff. Still, the primary basis for the character is likely to have been informed by the real pilot’s efforts during the whole hijacking.
After the flight took off for Abuja, the pilot’s cockpit was infiltrated by the four hijackers, primarily led by Richard Ogunderu. While half of the kidnappers stayed behind to monitor the passengers, Ogunderu ordered the pilot to take the flight to a country outside Nigeria. In an interview, Ogunderu described how the pilot realized he was under threat once the hijackers entered the cockpit. He said, “He (The pilot) knew immediately, when he was held at gun point. I had to come in from my own corridor, the economy class into the cockpit and tear-gassed him. And immediately I did that, he knew this was an attack, so he had to obey us.” Once the chain of authority was established, they started tasking him with their next moves. However, in the movie, no tear gas is needed to convince Captain Ambrose.
It is alleged that the main motivation of the captors was to fly the plane to Frankfurt, Germany, but the destination was an implausibility because the aircraft needed more fuel. Out of necessity, the pilot landed the airbus at the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger Republic. There, the flight crew tried recuperating, including the pilot, while the hijackers announced to the plane’s inhabitants that they were members of the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy in Nigeria. After negotiations were established between the hijackers and the gendarmes occupying the airport, the pilot and his fellow inhabitants had to wait three days before a rescue, when on October 28, 1993, the army stormed into the plane and took down the four hijackers and placed them under arrest.
Read More: Hijack ’93 True Story: Explained
