The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha has warned that Almajiris may become an army that will overwhelm Nigeria in future.
Mustapha made this known during the daily briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 in Abuja, on Monday.
He said some governors’ decision on Almajiris was in the best interest of the kids, adding that it was time Nigeria looked deeply into the proper development of the Almajiris.
He said, ”Most of them are minors. As a matter of fact, by the time they get to their teens they mature and become the Malams.
”And I think every government has a responsibility given to it by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I think section 14:1, to provide for the welfare and the security of its citizens.
”I believe that the governors that are taking this option have that at the back of their minds.
”The States in which these Almajiris are operating, can we say that their welfare is being taken care of? Is adequate security being provided for them? And being minors, somebody has to take that responsibility. And I said we should look at it within the context.
”I believe that notable northern leaders have spoken extensively on the issue of the Almajiri.
”The former emir of Kano was very passionate about it, and I know the sultan has spoken about it with the key leaders in the north.
”If we do not cater for them, and provide for their welfare and turn them into productive citizens, we might end up building an army that would overwhelm us as a people and as a nation in the future.
”There is nothing wrong about them learning the dictates of their faith.
”But we must prepare them equally for the future. Equip them, skill them so that they can become educated in their state and also productive citizens in the future.
”So, I want to believe that the actions that have been taken by these governors are in context to provide for the security and the welfare, realising that virtually all of them are minors.”
Recall that the Kaduna State government on Monday announced that five of the Almajiris repatriated from Kano State had tested positive for Coronavirus and had been taken into isolation.