Governor Bago Backs Down: Cancels Crackdown on Dreadlocks After Public Uproar

 

In what might be Nigeria’s most unexpected policy U-turn of the week, Niger State Governor Umar Bago has officially called off his war on dreadlocks—yes, you read that right after sparking a public uproar that was anything but hair-splitting.

It all started on Tuesday, April 22, when Governor Bago, perhaps channeling his inner high school principal, told security forces to go full barber mode in Minna: arrest anyone with dreadlocks, shave their heads, and issue fines. His exact words? “Nobody should carry any kind of haircut inside Minna.” That’s right Minna was briefly on track to become Nigeria’s first involuntary bald zone.

Social media lit up faster than a faulty power grid. Civil rights groups, fashionistas, Rastafarians, and even your local neighborhood loctician came out swinging. Memes were made. Twitter/X exploded. And somewhere, Bob Marley was probably shaking his head from the great beyond.

But by Wednesday 23rd, the governor had thankfully had a change of heart (or perhaps his barber advised him to chill). Speaking in damage control mode, Bago clarified that he wasn’t gunning for dreadheads across the board, just the alleged "cultists hiding behind the curls." He blamed “media propaganda” for the misunderstanding and extended a welcome mat to anyone with locks, twists, or a general love of hair freedom.

“If you have any business and you have dreadlocks, please come to Niger State,” he said, possibly while resisting the urge to hand out complimentary combs.

So there you have it, dreadlocks are safe, barbers can calm down, and Minna won’t become a state-run barber shop after all. One can only hope future security meetings involve fewer scissors and more common sense.