Israeli Filmmakers: No Going Back We’ll Tell The Story Of Our Igbo Brothers

Israeli Filmmakers: No Going Back We’ll Tell The Story Of Our Igbo Brothers

Rudy Rochman

Rudy Rochman, a pro-Israel activist who was one of three Israeli filmmakers jailed in Nigeria and subsequently released after 20 days in custody, said the team would continue to portray the tale of Nigeria’s underprivileged Igbo people.

iexclusive News Nigeria reports that on Wednesday, July 28, Israeli filmmakers Rudy Rochman, Andrew (Noam) Leibman, and Edouard David Benaym were released. 

Israeli Filmmakers

Immediately returned to Israel after being arrested and detained by the Nigerian secret service while filming the documentary ‘We Were Never Lost,’ which aimed to explore the African Jewish experience.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Rochman shared photographs he said were shot days after the incident.

“We only got to film for two days out of the two weeks planned in Igboland when armed militants in black ski masks forced us into a van and took our phones and passports,” 

He added. We didn’t see the light of day or have any contact with the outside world until 20 days later, when we were finally liberated.

“We went out to tell a narrative, but we ended up being the story.” 

Now that we’ve returned, it’s time to reset and focus on the Igbo Jews who have lived through what we have their entire lives and continue to do so on a daily basis.

“Our team will pivot, and we’ll do an episode about the Igbos. Although we are no longer permitted to enter Nigeria, the tale of our Igbo brothers and sisters in that country will be shared.

“Many Igbos have apologized to our team for what they saw us go through. It is not your fault, our Jewish Igbo family! We are the ones that are sad that our people did not come together sooner.”

According to Rochman, a film depicting their incarceration in Nigeria will be published in the following days.

Nigerian secret police imprisoned the three foreigners without charging them with any crime.

Despite the release of the three Israeli filmmakers, Ima Lizben Agha, the host of the three Israelis, who was detained on Wednesday evening, remains in custody.