What Buhari Said About Banning Almajiri

The Buhari-led government has clarified that it has no immediate plan to proscribe the Almajiri group.

Naija News found out that the group is a Qur’anic learning system associated with begging by children and peculiar to some Northern states.

The Presidency made the clarification through a statement released on Friday, June 21, by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the president, Garba Shehu.

Shehu in his statement urged for caution in responses to the pronouncements by President Muhammadu Buhari on free and compulsory basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age in Nigeria.

The statement from the Presidency noted that while the Buhari administration is committed to free and compulsory education as a long-term objective of bringing to an end, the phenomenon of out-of-school children, any necessary ban on Almajiri would follow due process and consultation with relevant authorities.

“Indeed, the Federal government wants a situation where every child of primary school age is in school rather than begging on the streets during school hours.

“At the same time, we don’t want to create panic or a backlash.

“Reports that there are plans for massive arrest of parents are definitely out of place. Things have to be done the right and considerate way.

“Free and compulsory primary school education is a requirement of the Nigerian constitution and any individual or group not in compliance with this is violating the law of the land and liable to be punished.,” the statement read.