Kebbi Receives 61 Almajiris Repatriated From Kano

Kebbi State government has received about 61 Almajiris repatriated from Kano State.

Kebbi state Governor, Atiku Bagudu said the children who were brought back to their state of origin, were in company of their teacher (mallam).

Receiving the children in Birnin Kebbi on Friday at the IDP camp in Kalgo were the governor and by the various stakeholders, including members of the State Executive Council, local government councils’ chairmen and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) among others .

Speaking at the event, the governor said that, the repatriation of the children to Kebbi State by the Kano State Government, was in line with the recent decision taken by the Governors of the 19 Northern states.

According to him, the children had earlier been tested by the Kano State Government and were duly declared COVID-19 free.

Bagudu said those who tested positive to the disease were left at Kano, receiving treatment , while they would be repatriated afterwards.

The governor explained that, the decision to repatriate such children to their various states of origin was unanimously taken by the Governors.

He said; “This decision was taken in the best interest of the children, as well as the educational development of the region.

“Education is the basic fundamental human right of these children and we will not tinker with it.”

According to Bagudu, the children who are from Maiyama, Jega, Argungu, Dandi, Suru, Bagudo and Kalgo would be handed over to their respective chairmen, who in turn would reunite them with their various families.

“Their proper identities would be ascertained and those whose proper identifies could not be immediately ascertained will be taken to the various Government orphanages.

“The state government will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that, these children’s education is not toyed with.”

The governor also announced that each of the children would be given a token amount of money as a start up base for the continuation of their education.

Disclosing that the state government will soon conduct a census of all the Almajiris across the state, the governor said those from other states would also be repatriated back to their states of origin, while those from the neighboring counties will be repatriated back to their countries, through the Federal Government.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Alhaji Muhammadu Magawata Aliero told the Almajiris that since the Kano State Government announced the decision to return them back to Kebbi, Governor Bagudu had expressed his utmost concern about their welfare up till the time they arrived Kebbi State.

The Chairman, Task Force on Covid -19 who is also the state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Jafar Muhammed (Clean) also emphasized that before the 61 almajiris were repatriated to the state, the Kano state Government had ensured that they were tested.

The number of the Almajiris and the seven local government areas they come from as follows: Maiyama local government area, 13 almajiris, Jega, 9 , Argungu, 13, Dandi, 18, Kalgo, 4, Bagudo,3 while Suru local government area has only one, making a total of 61 almajiris repatriated to the state.