All the 218 Almajirai who were recently repatriated to Kaduna State would be compulsorily enrolled in primary schools, Governor Nasiru Almad El-Rufai of Kaduna State has said. He said yesterday that the former child urchins were being restored full human rights, dignity and hope as children. “Every child in Kaduna has equal opportunity and access to 12 years of free and compulsory education in our public schools,” he said. This is even as the pan-Northern socio-cultural organization, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, threw their weights behind the governor, insisting that they would support any policy that would rehabilitate the Almajirai for good. However, the Joint Association of Northern Youth Groups said unless Northern governors revived the programme former President Goodluck Jonathan put in place for the Almajiri children, the desired objective might nit be achieved.

Governor El-Rufa’i said on his Facebook page that he was “pleased to see our Almajiri children, the batch of 218 from Kano, Nassarawa, Plateau & Gombe States looking well & free of COVID-19.” “With the support of @UNICEF_Nigeria, AMA Foundation, other NGOs & philanthropists, they are being restored full human rights, dignity & hope as children! Every child in Kaduna has equal opportunity and access to 12 years of free and compulsory education in our public schools.”

The governor disclosed that the next step was for the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Mrs Hafsat Baba, and her team to return the Almajirai to their parents in collaboration with local government chairmen and traditional rulers. “All the children are to be compulsorily enrolled in the primary school nearest to them so they have modern education and life skills in the morning, and continue their Quranic or Islamic education in the afternoon and over the weekend.