Kaduna State Government on Friday said it has rescued 160 Almajirai from improper schools and homes in the state.
Muyiwa Adekeye, special adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, in a statement said the places where the children were found violated state regulations.
According to the statement, the children are from 13 states in the north and south of the country while others are from Benin Republic, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.
“Officials of the Kaduna State Government Task Force enforcing COVID-19 related regulations have rescued 160 children from locations that are neither authorised and licensed as schools nor as children’s homes,” Mr Adekeye said.
“By keeping children in unauthorised places, the locations were also in contravention of KDSG land use regulations and inconsistent with the policy of repatriating almajiri to their states and local governments of origin to continue their education under the care of their parents, and in properly registered and regulated schools.
“KDSG wishes to remind all non-governmental organisations, corporate entities, religious leaders and faith institutions that the state government has laws prescribing the free and compulsory education of all children in properly registered schools.
“The rights of the children described as almajiri to be treated with the dignity accorded all other children is a matter of fairness and equality of treatment that no responsible government should compromise.”
The spokesman said since March 31, 2020, Almajirai have been repatriated to their states of origin.
“The children from ECOWAS countries will be handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for necessary attention,” he said.
