A young Nigerian has narrated how men of the Nigerian Army stopped him and his friends on the road to cut off his hair with scissors in Kaduna State and threatened to shoot him, WITHIN NIGERIA gathered.
The young man, who is simply identified as Freeze, took to social media with the handle @its_freezle, to narrate how the soldiers threatened to shoot him for not agreeing to go cut his hair.
According to him, while on his way to Jos from Kaduna with his friends passed several checkpoints until they got to “Kurmin Idon” where they were stopped. The incident happened around 1:20 pm on Thursday.
In his narration on Twitter, he said “I, @pdshugar & @Kuturanki were coming to Jos from #Kaduna, we’ve passed serval checking points but on arriving a checkpoint at “KURMIN IDON” a military man asked us all to come down, he told all my friends to take off their caps and I was the only one with much hair. So he insulted me and called me Irresponsible because I was not on low cut. Comparing me with my friends. He went further to say I should go to a nearby barbing saloon to cut my hair if not he won’t let us go, which I wasn’t ready to do.”
The young man said another soldier attempted to shoot him for refusing to go cut his hair in a nearby salon while another one wanted to hit him with his rifle.
“So he asked his other colleague to cut my hair with scissors, I pulled back, immediately, the other military guy cocked his gun to shoot me, and the other attempted to hit me with the head of his rifle. So I stood and the guy put the scissors into my hair,” he said.
He lamented the inhuman action melted on him by men of the Nigerian Army that are supposed to protect the lives and properties of citizens adding that they abuse his parents for irresponsibility.
He said: “I was really pained not just because of my hair, but because of how hopeless I was and what our #NigerianMilitary has become. The military guy who tried to shoot at me kept calling me names & even said my parents must be useless to allow me to move around with my hairstyle.”
Freeze lamented how he was demoralized and helpless stressing that he and his friends could do nothing because he was not sure of his life.
” At the time, I’ve thought of a million and one things to do, but I didn’t take any action because I wasn’t sure of my life. I have been lamenting all through the journey to Jos,” he added.
This has generated reactions and emotions from Nigerians who are calling out the Nigerian Army to investigate the incident and punish the officers for demoralizing a citizen.
An expert who writes on Military and Security related matters, Deji Adesogan popularly called Uncle Deji, while sympathizing asked the victim to lodge complaints at the Civil-Military Desk in Kaduna with a promise to offer assistance.
In his tweet, he said “I really sympathize with you guys. Kindly call and forward your complaints via 193 and 08103311716 (1 Div Civil-Military Complaint line). Additionally, you can visit Civil-Military Desk at 1Div HQ Kaduna. My DM is also open for further assistance FREE OF CHARGE.”
Also, popular activist, Rinu Oduala, also tweeted to lament the poor treatment melted on the young man by soldiers attached to the Kurmin Idon checkpoint.
“This is so heartbreaking. I’m so sorry you experienced this. A reflection of the state,” she said.
Mr. Festus Ogun, a Human Rights Lawyers who also followed the story also faulted the soldiers for melting such punishment on law-abiding Nigerians.
He said, “Imagine the torture and the gross level of inhumane treatment. Nigeria seems to be a nightmare to law-abiding citizens.”
Many others have also shared that it is not the first time men of the Nigerian Army will ask citizens to go cut their hair because they felt it is an act of irresponsibility while at the same time cutting off the hair with sharp objects. They however called on concerned authorities to address this “unprofessional” act.
Uncle Deji, who followed up on the incident has revealed that “that Nigerian Army has withdrawn soldiers involved in an alleged human rights abuse yesterday at Kurmin IDON Military Checkpoint in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna. The soldiers have been withdrawn to the military barrack in Kachia for immediate disciplinary action.”
As at the time of this report, there is no statement from the Nigerian Army on the actions of the soldiers.