Nigeria: Sci-fi flick on aliens and apartheid unwelcome over portrayal of Nigerian thugs

Nigerian officials: “District 9″ not welcome here

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s information minister says one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters is not welcome in Nigeria because it portrays Nigerians as gangsters and cannibals.

Information Minister Dora Akunyili says she’s asked movie houses to stop screening “District 9″ because the South Africa-based sci-fi movie about aliens and discrimination makes Nigerians look bad. Akunyili says she has asked Sony for an apology and wants them to edit out the Nigerian antagonists and the name of the main Nigerian gangster Obesandjo, whose name closely resembles that of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The movie’s representatives in South Africa did not comment when contacted Saturday.

The film brought in some US$37 million (euro25.16 million) during its U.S. debut weekend in August.