Niger returns 21 almajiris to Kastina

Niger state government on Thursday repatriated twenty-one Almagiris back to their families in Kastina state following the ban on street begging.

It was gathered that the minors were intercepted on their way to Mokwa town in Mokwa local government area of the state.

While addressing journalists in Minna, Director General of the state Child Right Protection Agency, Barrister Mariam Haruna Kolo, said there is ban on street begging and Niger state is not prepared to be a dumping ground.

According to her, “the kids were intercepted in Minna, the state capital while being transported in a bus by one Malam Habibi Abdulrazaka who lives in Suleja.

“Three days ago, we were called upon that a bus was intercepted with 21 almajiris and were brought to our office. During our interaction with them, we found out that most of them were below the ages of 17.

“And being that they were below such age and are all almajiris who have come here to learn and have not fulfilled the basic requirements to liaise with Islamic association in the state, we had to return them back to their state of origin.

“The state will not condone any act of street begging which had longed been abolished. We only welcome children who had done the basic requirement to learn quranic education in the state.”

“We cannot allow other people come to infiltrate and spoil what has been done due to many issues on ground”.

Abdulrazaka Habib, the teacher caught conveying the children, told journalists that the kids were brought to him by their parents from Kankara in Kastina state in Suleja to acquire quranic education, adding that “I am not aware of the rules and regulations on ground.”

Also, speaking, Sadiq Yamai, National Organising Secretary of the state chapter of Center for Qur’anic Research of Nigeria, explained that the association had been collaborating with the state government to profile almajiris brought into the state to acquire Islamic knowledge.