Nasarawa Governor Calls for Ban on Almajiri System

On Thursday, during a summit aimed at enhancing human capital development in Northern Nigeria held in Abuja, Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule called on the National Assembly to enact legislation banning the Almajiri system across the country. He warned that the Almajiri system significantly contributes to the increasing number of out-of-school children and exacerbates insecurity in Northern Nigeria, as it can lead to children being recruited into banditry.

Governor Sule highlighted that there are approximately 430,000 school children in Nasarawa State alone. He recalled the 2020 initiative to repatriate Almajiri children from Nasarawa and Kaduna states, noting that enforcement efforts must be sustained.

Sule proposed that the Almajiri system be replaced with compulsory formal education and skill acquisition programs, urging Northern leaders to translate the summit's deliberations into concrete legislative proposals and policy reforms to address poverty, reduce insecurity, and improve educational outcomes across the region.