The Niger State Government has reassured citizens that the recently imposed curfew on motorcycles and tricycles—popularly known as keke-napep—is not intended to punish law-abiding citizens.
Instead, it is a proactive and urgent measure aimed at addressing the growing insecurity that has afflicted parts of the state capital in recent days.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has acknowledged the challenges this temporary measure may pose to hard-working residents who go about their legitimate businesses. However, the government insists that the safety of lives and property remains its topmost priority.
“Over the past six days, we have witnessed disturbing incidents of violence, with several lives lost to attacks by miscreants operating in a manner akin to mini cult groups,” the statement read.
“These groups, made up of young boys between the ages of 13 and 22, have exploited the ease of movement provided by motorcycles and tricycles to commit crimes across various parts of Minna and evade arrest.”
The government noted that these groups often strike in one area and disappear into another within minutes, using their swift mobility to avoid apprehension and spread their operations rapidly.
“If these boys are not restricted, they can carry out criminal activities in one part of town and vanish into another within minutes,” it stated. “Their swift mobility not only makes arrests difficult but also enables the rapid spread of their operations.”
It is in a bid to disrupt these activities, the government said, that the curfew was imposed.
“While we understand that this will affect movement and commerce, it is a necessary sacrifice to restore sanity and protect the lives of our people,” the statement emphasised.
The government also expressed concern over a disturbing trend emerging among these groups, particularly in their appearance.
“We have observed a distinct hairstyle that appears to be evolving into a form of group identity,” the statement said.
“Many of them wear dreadlocks in front while the back of the head is shaved. This style has increasingly become associated with members of these disruptive groups.”
Security agencies have been advised to closely monitor individuals with this specific look. However, the government clarified that this should not be interpreted as a blanket criminalization of any hairstyle.
“This is not a blanket criminalization of hairstyles,” the statement clarified, “but a preventive measure informed by intelligence and ongoing trends. The aim is to dismantle the formation and spread of these emerging groups before they become deeply entrenched.”
Governor Bago appealed to citizens of Niger State to support the initiative.
“This is not a punitive action,” he said. “It is a step taken to protect lives and maintain order. The lives of Nigerlites are far more valuable than any short-term disruption to economic activities. If these elements are not curtailed now, they will only become bolder and more dangerous.”
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