Daddy Showkey | File Image
. Niger govt modifies law on dreadlocks
By Valentine Amanze
The Lagos-based Nigerian popular musician, Daddy Showkey, has cancelled his long-awaited Minna, Niger State, show with immediate effect.
The cancellation was consequent upon the state government’s recent outlawing wearing of dreadlocks hairstyle in the state.
Showkey wears dreadlocks, which is his identity.
Though the cost of the cancellation of the show on the organizers is not yet known, Nigeria News Flight gathered that it ran into millions of naira.
But as a result of the unpopularity of the law, the state government has modified it.
In a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Binta Mamman, the state government explained that the clampdown was targeted at nefarious youth groups with distinct hairstyles in their clusters and causing breach of peace in parts of Minna, the state capital.
“The governor’s executive order still stands. However, it will only affect those who wear dreadlocks in front, while the back of their heads is shaved”.
The commissioner further explained: “This is not a blanket criminalization of hairstyles, but a preventive measure informed by intelligence and ongoing trends aimed to dismantling formation and spreading of these emerging groups before they become deeply rooted and difficult to tame.
Also read: Hoodlums raid estate in Niger, destroy properties
“Government has observed a disturbing trend among some suspected gangsters operating from diffrent harmlets within Minna metropolis appearing in distinct hairstyles that seemed to be evolving into form of group identity or cultism, and we don’t want to allow that”.
The commissioner however pointed out that Niger State government was not against anyone with natural dreadlocks be it male or female except for the bad boys who seemed to have chosen appearance of dreadlocks in front of their head while the back is shaved for their criminals enterprise.
“Defaulters, that is youths who wear dreadlocks in front while the back of their heads are shaved, will be arrested. The security agencies know them because they walk in droves.
“With intelligence reports so far, this particular dreadlocks style is increasingly becoming associated with members of a gangster or cult groups representing different hamlets”.
Recall that Governor Mohammed Umar Bago declared that anyone with dreadlocks be arrested and treated as suspect in reaction to the stabbing to death of Amore Mohammed by one Nura, who is said to have operated with his accomplices – all in dreadlocks at Fadikpe area, western by-pass, Minna.
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