Nasarawa State governor and Chairman of the North-Central Governors Forum, Abdullahi Sule, has called for decisive action to address the longstanding challenges of the almajiri system in Northern Nigeria.
Speaking at the inaugural regional conference on population dynamics, security, climate change, out-of-school children, and vulnerable children, held in Lafia on Tuesday, the Governor emphasised the need for the region to take responsibility for resolving the issue.
According to him, “The almajiri problem is indeed a huge issue for us. Its time we stopped complaining and took the bull by the horns to solve it ourselves”. He warned that failure to address the almajiri crisis could lead to severe social unrest, describing it as a time bomb which could surpass the scale of the recent# EndSARS protests.
Governor Sule attributed the persistence of the almajiri problem to systemic failures and the neglect of parental responsibilities. He highlighted the need to educate communities on Islamic teachings, emphasizing that it is a sin to have more children or spouses than one can care for.
He urged Northern leaders to stop relying on external assistance and to focus on finding homegrown solutions, quering, Why should Northern Nigeria continue to hold the entire nation at ransom when this is our problem to solve?
The Governor also announced plans to establish three special schools in Lafia, Akwanga, and Keffi to rehabilitate almajiris, while urging local government officials to prioritize agricultural development to ensure food security in the State.
Executive Secretary of the National Commission of Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, Dr. Mohammed Sani Idris, revealed alarming statistics, noting that Nigeria has over 18.3 million out-of-school children, the second highest globally after Pakistan, with over 30 million almajiris roaming the streets.
To tackle the problem, the commission has launched a program in Kaduna to integrate 350 almajiris into formal education and skill acquisition programs, with plans to send some beneficiaries to Islamic universities in Medina, Niger, and Malaysia.
Governor Sule emphasized the urgency of solving the almajiri problem, warning that no external body would step in to do so. We must wake up and solve this ourselves, he said, while commending ongoing efforts to provide educational and vocational opportunities for almajiris.
The conference brought together key stakeholders, including governors, religious leaders, academics, and development partners, to deliberate on the multifaceted challenges facing the region and Nigeria as a whole.
