By Parrot Newspaper Dreadlocks Declared a Crime in Niger State, Nigeria
Governor Bago’s Crackdown Sparks National Outrage and Human Rights Alarms
In an astonishing move that has sent shockwaves across Nigeria, Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago has declared dreadlocks a criminal offense, ordering security operatives to arrest anyone sporting the hairstyle.
Bago’s Shocking Directive During Security Meeting
The directive was issued during a security meeting in Minna on Tuesday, where Governor Bago announced extreme measures in what he described as efforts to curb rising insecurity in the state capital.
> “Anyone found in possession of any weapon, including knives and sticks, should be treated as an armed robber, and if killed, the parents must pay for the bullet before releasing the corpse. Anyone keeping dreadlock hair should be arrested and shaved,” Bago declared.
This announcement was paired with a dusk-to-dawn curfew, effectively militarizing the streets and putting citizens — especially the youth — on edge.
Cultural Expression or Criminal Target?
The governor’s pronouncement has ignited fierce backlash from across the country. Human rights advocates and legal professionals are raising alarm bells over what they describe as an unconstitutional and discriminatory attack on personal freedom.
> “This is profiling, pure and simple,” said Angela Odeh, a rights activist in Abuja. “Criminalizing hairstyles, particularly one with cultural and spiritual meaning like dreadlocks, is a gross abuse of power.”
For many Nigerians — especially youths and members of the creative community — dreadlocks are an expression of identity, not criminal intent.
Fear, Humiliation, and Forced Conformity
Since the directive, several Minna residents report being harassed or threatened by security operatives. Many are being forced to cut their hair to avoid arrest, sparking accusations of forced grooming and humiliation.
“I was stopped on the street and told to go to a barber or face detention,” said 23-year-old Emmanuel Joshua, a university graduate. “This is not security — it’s persecution.”
Violating the Constitution?
Legal experts argue that Bago’s directive violates key provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, including:
Section 34: Right to dignity of human person
Section 37: Right to private and family life
Section 42: Freedom from discrimination
“This is a dangerous precedent,” warned Barrister Aminu Ado, a constitutional lawyer. “If hairstyles are now criminal, where does it end? This opens the door for unchecked state abuse.”
Distraction from Real Security Solutions?
Critics accuse Governor Bago of using showy and extreme policies to mask his administration’s failure in addressing real causes of insecurity — such as poverty, joblessness, poor intelligence gathering, and lack of trust in security agencies.
“Hair doesn’t cause crime. Bad governance does,” said one youth leader in Minna.
National and International Attention Mounts
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been petitioned to step in, while youth-led organizations are mobilizing mass campaigns online and offline to challenge the directive. Social media is buzzing with hashtags like #HairIsNotACrime and #StopBagoAbuse.
Several international observers have also expressed concern over what appears to be a slide toward authoritarian-style governance in Nigeria’s democratic space.
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Parrot Newspaper’s Stand
At Parrot Newspaper, we believe no government should dictate the hairstyle of its citizens. Personal identity is not a threat. Cultural expression is not a crime. This is not just about dreadlocks — it’s about the kind of society we want to build.
We call on the public, lawmakers, civil society, and the judiciary to rise in defense of human rights, before silence becomes complicity.