The next instalment in the Crime and Justice franchise offers more harrowing crimes that can only be solved by the passionate detectives of the fictional Serious and Special Crimes Unit.
In 2021, Showmax launched its first procedural drama, Crime and Justice, which is set in Kenya. The show became an instant hit with audiences tackling complicated crimes and topical issues relevant to Kenya. Topics such as femicide, domestic abuse, and terrorism took centre stage. The show also served as Showmax’s very first co-production with global broadcaster CANAL+ Group. The second season was the most popular series on Showmax in Kenya, where it maintained the top spot for nine weeks straight.
Find out more about Crime & Justice here.
Like its predecessor, Crime and Justice Lagos draws inspiration from real-life issues and events in recent Nigerian history.
In the fourth episode, a famous protest against police brutality and the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which took place in Nigeria in 2020, is referenced. During the episode, four young adults are killed by three policemen, an incident that echoes real life when young Nigerian citizens took to the streets three years ago.
“Clash is easily one of the best episodes of Crime and Justice Lagos, a very Nigerian event that gets treated with the level of care and tenacity that seldom happens in real life. That tension between what most Nigerians know happens regularly versus what is shown on screen makes for a gripping hour of screen time.” – Native Mag
Throughout the series, various societal issues are depicted. In the second episode, a girl’s disappearance prompts detectives to investigate female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country and they begin to suspect that a similar case might be unfolding in front of their eyes. In the third episode, the team consider ritual killings in Nigeria as a possible reason for the crime they are solving, something that has become a persistent problem in the country.
The cast includes award-winning radio host, Folu Storms, as well as Jammal Ibrahim (The Delivery Boy, Baba, Green White Green), William Benson (Ajoche, 93 Days), Margaret Osuome (A Sunday Affair), and prolific actress Uche Mac-Auley (Images in the Mirror, Mid Life, 5th Floor).
The series is directed by Mak 'Kusare, who won three awards for his first feature film Ninety Degrees at the Zuma Film Awards, as well as Onyinye Egenti, who is a shadow writer for Netflix’s KAOS.
Watch full episodes of Crime and Justice Lagos here.
