In its determined efforts to rid the state environment of young beggars daily increasing in their numbers in the name of ‘Almajiris’, the Nasarawa State government said it will soon commence the process of repatriating over 30,000 almajiris, below the ages of 10 to their various states of origin.
This was part of the decisions reached at the State’s Executive Council meeting held, on Wednesday evening, at Government House, Lafia.
The commissioner for women affairs and social development, Halima Ahmadu Jabiru, disclosed this shortly after the state SEC meeting.
The decision of the State’s Executive Council is coming a week after the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, signed a law banning street begging in the state.
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Jabiru said the Governor Abdullahi Sule led administration is worried on how children are roaming the streets in the state.
She disclosed that statistics show that the state currently has a total of 63,356 Almajiris, out of which about 40,000 of them hail from the state.
“We resolved in the executive meeting that others are going to be sent back to their states of origin, especially those that are below the ages of ten years downward, we will take them back and reconnect them with their states of origin.
“Those that are above 10 years, will be allowed to remain in the state under our supervision, we will make sure that they get formal and informal education.
“Very soon, we will have all our kids off the streets, we will follow it up in such a way that any Islamic or Tsangaya schools that fail to obey, government will deal with them decisively,” she said.