The Niger State Government has said it will not retract its decision to clamp down on youths with distinct hairstyles, in response to the mayhem in parts of Minna, the state capital.
In a statement on Friday signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Governor Umaru Bago’s executive order still stands, adding that it will only affect those who wear dreadlocks in front while the back of their heads is shaved.
In addition to the dreadlocks directive, Bago also announced a 12-hour daily restriction on commercial motorcycles and tricycles, banning their operations from 6pm to 6am, as part of a broader crackdown on violent crimes.
Bago maintained that law-abiding citizens are not under threat, stating the crackdown is solely aimed at criminal elements who use cult symbols, including dreadlocks, to mask their activities and evade law enforcement.
In her statement, the Commissioner disclosed that government has observed a disturbing trend among some youth groups with this distinct hairstyle, which has been linked to violent attacks and crimes in parts of Minna.
“The defaulters that will be arrested are those who wear certain dreadlocks in front while the back of their heads are shaved that appears to be evolving into a form of group identity or cultism. The security agencies know them because they walk in droves, ” she insisted.
According to the government, the measure is not intended to criminalize hairstyles but to protect lives and maintain order while appealing to residents to support these efforts,
He also warned that any house found sheltering criminals or drug dealers would be demolished, emphasizing that his administration would “apply maximum force to restore order.”
