“Arrest them, shave their heads, and fine them!”
With those authoritarian words, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State effectively outlawed the wearing of dreadlocks and issued a bewildering directive—not against crime, but against citizens expressing themselves through their hair.
In a nation overwhelmed by economic hardship, mass unemployment and spiraling insecurity, Bago’s fixation on hairstyle is not just tone-deaf—it’s dangerously misplaced.
This decree threatens to turn security agents into fashion police, giving license to harass, intimidate, and extort young Nigerians, not for committing crimes, but for simply wearing their hair in a style rooted in culture, identity, and creativity.
And the irony? Governor Bago himself proudly sports a full beard—his personal style choice. Imagine if wearing a beard like his were outlawed or considered a criminal look.
Let’s be clear: no one is advocating for criminality in any form. But leadership demands focus, wisdom, and vision. At a time when communities cry out for jobs, safety, and basic services, the governor has chosen to wage war on dreadlocks—majoring in the minor while major problems fester.
This order is more than disappointing—it’s a gross overreach. It signals a worrying misunderstanding of leadership. Governance is not about enforcing personal preferences. It is about protecting rights, solving real problems, and inspiring trust.
By targeting people for their hairstyle, Governor Bago is not just promoting profiling—he is trampling on constitutional rights and normalizing discrimination. This is not just lazy governance—it is dangerous governance.
Let’s be honest: criminals wear all kinds of attire—suits, agbadas, uniforms, even cassocks. Crime has no look. To single out dreadlocks is to stigmatize a generation of people simply trying to express themselves in a world that already gives them too few options.
Globally, the hairstyling industry powers millions of livelihoods and fuels creativity. In Nigeria, thousands of people earn an honest living as barbers, stylists, braiders, and hairdressers. Dreadlocks are not a threat—they are a trade, an identity, a culture. What Nigeria needs is not a crackdown on looks, but a commitment to policies that create jobs, support small businesses, and grow the economy.
Governor Bago would do better to channel his energy into intelligence-driven security reforms, youth empowerment programs, and economic initiatives that reduce crime by eliminating its root causes.
The true enemies are poverty, joblessness, and lack of opportunity—not dreadlocks.
The job of government is not to decide how its citizens should look. It is to ensure they live in dignity, peace, and freedom. If Bago’s administration is serious about governance, it must stop these cosmetic crackdowns and start addressing the structural crises hurting the people of Niger State—and Nigeria.
Governor Bago, if your intention was misrepresented, now is the time to clarify. Rescind the directive. Ensure that no security agent abuses it to humiliate or brutalize innocent people. Lead with vision, not vendetta. Govern with focus, not fear.
It’s time to stop fighting hair—and start fighting for the people.
