Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has ordered security agencies to arrest individuals wearing dreadlocks in Minna, the state capital.
The directive was issued during a stakeholders’ security meeting held at the Government House on Tuesday, April 23, 2025, attended by security agencies and traditional rulers.
“We will have zero tolerance for rascality,” Bago declared. “Anybody that you find with dreadlocks, arrest, barb the hair, and fine him. Nobody should carry any kind of haircut inside Minna. I have given marching orders to security agencies.”
The governor’s comments triggered immediate attention as he further warned parents to rein in their children, saying the state government would be implementing stricter security measures.
“Parents should warn their children. From this moment, it’s 100% fire-for-fire,” he said. “Any house found harbouring criminals should be demolished. Niger State is not for useless people.”
Governor Bago also imposed a curfew on commercial motorcycles and tricycles from 6pm to 6am, with exemptions only for medical emergencies.
He called on local leaders—district, village, and ward heads—to begin comprehensive documentation of residents, adding that properties linked to criminal activities or the sale of illicit drugs would be destroyed.
The sweeping order has sparked widespread reactions, with many questioning the constitutionality and implications of targeting individuals based on hairstyle.
The governor, however, stood firm: “We are not going to tolerate indiscipline under any form. This is for the safety and orderliness of our people.”
