Nasarawa Governor Condemns Increasing Presence of Almajiri in Lafia, other major towns
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi A. Sule has condemned the influx of child beggars (also called almajiri) in Lafia, the state capital, as well as other major towns in the state.
Governor Sule voiced his concern while receiving a report on the statistics of almajiri schools across the state, from members of the Quranic Reciters Association of Nigeria, at the Government House, on Monday.
The Governor, while lamenting the plight of the almajiri, who are left to survive on the street begging, said his administration will send a bill to the State House of Assembly seeking to ban street begging in the state.
He however said this will only be done after solution has been found to the menace.
The Governor said his administration has delayed sending the bill before the assembly as it was waiting for the committee’s report.
He noted that the influx of almajiri into the state is a major security threat, even as he said the proliferation of almajiri who spend their time begging on the street, exposes the children to many dangers.
Engineer Sule pointed out that the almajiri system is among major challenges confronting the entire northern region of the country, stressing that all hands must be on deck in order to address the menace of street begging.
He further decried a situation where parents give birth to numerous children that they fail to cater for their immediate needs, choosing to send them far away, and to live them under the care of Islamic scholars.
“Regarding the law banning street begging, we will tarry a while until we are able to arrive at a collective resolution stopping the almajiri from street begging.
“I don’t want a situation where we will pass the law and at the end subject these children to more difficulties,” Engineer Sule said.
He expressed appreciation that the group, which he earlier mandated in November last year to undertake a study of the number of almajiri schools in the state, as well advice on ways to curb the menace.
