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Governor Gives Repreive To Men With Dreadlocks

By Benjamin Abioye

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Governor Bago Withdraws Dreadlocks Arrest Order

Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has taken back his earlier controversial order that called for the arrest of people wearing dreadlocks in Minna, the state’s capital.

The governor’s initial comments, which came during a security briefing on Tuesday, had triggered a wave of backlash from many Nigerians who saw it as unfair and discriminatory.

While speaking about ways to tackle insecurity in the state, Governor Bago gave a strict instruction to security agencies, saying, “Anybody that you find with dreadlocks, arrest, barb the hair, and fine the person. Nobody should carry any kind of haircut inside Minna. I have given marching orders to security agencies.”

This remark quickly stirred reactions on social media and among citizens, who questioned the legality and fairness of targeting people based solely on hairstyle. Many felt the governor had crossed a line and unfairly stereotyped individuals.

Faced with growing criticism, Governor Bago responded the following day, saying his words had been misunderstood. In a public clarification, he explained that the focus was not on hairstyles, but on tackling criminal groups.

“Yesterday we read a riot act on hooliganism and people misunderstood our words for people who have dreadlocks,” he said. The governor further noted that not all people with dreadlocks are involved in crime, and the directive wasn’t meant to target anyone based on appearance.

“We don’t have a problem with dreadlocks but we have a problem with the cult here with dreadlocks. So if you have any business and you have dreadlocks, please come to Niger State. All that is media propaganda,” he added, attempting to calm the outrage and clear up the misunderstanding.

Before this reversal, many people had raised concerns that the initial order could lead to profiling and harassment of innocent citizens, especially young people. The clarification appears to be an effort to manage the damage and reassure the public.
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