A youth identified as Titus Durkwa David has narrated how he was assaulted, brutalised, humiliated, and detained by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Maiduguri, Borno State for wearing an Afro.
Afro is a hairstyle popular with black people in the 1970s in which the hair is cut into a large round shape.
David said he was tagged a criminal for wearing the hairstyle and brutalised by 10 members of the task force, who hit him with a machete, gun barrel, and sticks. He said he was subsequently subdued and his Afro was shaved off.
Narrating his ordeal in a Facebook post on Thursday, David said, “Earlier this afternoon, around 1:00 p.m., while on my way back home from my friend’s place at Federal Low-cost Maiduguri, Borno State, wearing my native attire and sporting a clean afro haircut, looking decent and presentable, I alighted from the Keke Napep at the popular Mala-Kachalla Roundabout.
“Upon disembarking, an individual from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) approached me. He told me that I looked like a criminal and one of those nuisances carrying out illegal activities in the city because of my haircut (afro), and instructed me to meet their commander, who was standing nearby in a sky blue native attire.
“At that moment, I tried my best to remain calm and respectfully challenged him to justify how I resembled the people he accused me of being. He couldn’t provide a satisfactory response, and as we conversed, two more of his colleagues joined us, and we proceeded to see their commander.
“Upon meeting the commander, I greeted him and recounted what had transpired. He then inquired about my identity, whether I was a military personnel or not. I introduced myself modestly, avoiding any hint of disrespect. He explained that he was ordered to shave the hair of anyone with a hairstyle other than a low-cut.
“I remained composed while engaging with the illiterate commander when suddenly, I was slapped across the face and pushed to the ground by approximately ten CJTF members. Despite my resistance, I was subjected to blows from a machete, gun barrel, and sticks to my back. I was forcibly subdued and my hair shaved as seen in the below pictures.”
David, who shared pictures of his new look after the humiliation suffered at the hands of the security task force, said despite the assault, he was asked to pay for the service of a barber engaged to cut his hair. And when he refused, he was detained.
“I was told to pay for the services of the haircut to a local barber (Mai Wanzam), I refused and we fought again, leading them to hold me in their custody for about an hour,” he said.
David alleged that some members of the task force had been engaging in illegal activities but the state governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum had been ignoring such.
“These CJTF members, who have been oppressing innocent citizens like myself, are doing more harm than good. The fact that they carry guns doesn’t mean one can’t fight back to the last straw of the energy God has given us.
“For the record, these CJTF have been involved in numerous illegal and criminal activities within and around the state, and the Governor is aware but turns a blind eye.
“Dear Governor Engr Babagana Umara Zulum, with all due respect, I urge you to call upon these illiterate individuals who are ignorant of their responsibilities before the situation escalates further.
“As for today’s ordeal, I will live to fight another day, and there, we shall settle the score. I will never forget these.
“This is just the beginning of the end,” he said.
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