Black Hawk Down: Did Hollywood ignore Nigeria’s role?

Black Hawk Down, a 2001 Hollywood movie based on the events in 1993 when the U.S. sent special forces into Somalia to destabilise the anti-government militia became a topic on social media recently when a tweet on X revealed that in the real events, the US forces had help from Nigerian troops but the Ridley Scott movie failed to give credits or acknowledge the efforts of the soldiers.

During the civil war on October 3, 1993, at Mogadishu, Somalia, the US forces using Black Hawk helicopters to lower the soldiers onto the ground saw an unexpected attack by members of Muhammed Farah Aideed’s Somali National Alliance (SNA), bringing down two of the helicopters with RPGs. From there, the U.S. soldiers struggled to regain their balance while enduring heavy gunfire and getting back to the Mogadishu airport, where the US task force was based.

According to an AI voice video in a tweet by @army_finest001 on X, it mentioned that the US forces who were ambushed by Somali militia reached out to a company of Nigerian troops who were guarding a major traffic stop after failed attempts to reach the UN troops. The video credited the Nigerian troops, saying that they had to cover over a mile on foot to help the trapped US soldiers.

This tweet spurred conversations on how Hollywood purposefully left out the narrative of Nigerian troops helping the US forces to make the soldiers look indomitable without crediting Nigerian troops in the now famous film. But was that the case?

According to BusinessDay findings on the Somali civil war of 1992 to 1994, Nigerian troops participated in fighting and held back Somali militia at different times during the civil war, but there was no account of the troops during the events of ‘Black Hawk Down,’ which happened on October 3, 1993.

While Nigerian forces were not recorded as being involved in the specific events depicted in ‘Black Hawk Down,’ their active participation in other operations during the Somali civil war, such as joint operations with US Marines and humanitarian efforts, demonstrated their significant contribution.

According to a New York Times article in 1993, Nigerian forces played a vital role in a joint operation with US Marines in Mogadishu on February 27, 1993. Responding to sniper attacks, they occupied buildings suspected to house gunmen, arrested suspects, and seized weapons.

However, their heavy weapons fire, while effective as a deterrent, also hit unintended targets. This led to discussions between US and Nigerian military officials about improving fire discipline. Nigerian soldiers also guarded a major traffic circle, repelling snipers and looters with significant firepower.

Their actions contributed to the operation’s overall success, which ended with the apprehension of several individuals and the seizure of a substantial cache of weapons.

According to the United States Forces, Somalia Action reports, Nigerian forces also played an active role in the UNOSOM II coalition in Somalia. They were involved in various operations, including attempts to relieve Italian forces at Strong Points 19 and 42, which resulted in casualties and a Nigerian soldier being held captive.

Nigerian forces also participated in humanitarian efforts, such as ‘Operation MORE CARE,’ which provided medical and dental assistance to the local population. Their involvement highlights the complex and challenging nature of the UNOSOM II mission in Somalia.