The Kano State Government said it has arrested and returned over 1,500 Almajiris back to their states and countries of origin, following a ban on street begging in the state.
Those identified were returned to their states which includes Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Borno and Yobe states.
Others are from Kano, Adamawa and neighboring countries of Chad and Niger Republic.
Premium Times quoted Kano Hisbah spokesperson, Lawan Fagge to have confirmed the development.
EduCeleb.com had reported that the government in penultimate week banned street begging across the state. A majority of the street beggars are school-aged children enrolled in Almajiri schools.
The government said the effort was to fully consolidate the free and compulsory primary and Secondary Schools education in the state.
Mr Fagge revealed that following the ban, some parents voluntarily withdrew their children from the streets.
The official said Katsina has the highest numbers of the repatriated almajiris while Jigawa State has the least.
Among the arrested almajiris, about 70 per cent are children from the ages of seven and twelve, the official said.
He added that there are also old aged women who sees begging as a business, as even when their families provided all their needed necessities, they insisted on going out to beg.
According to the official, those in that category are over 400.
He said the governmen counselled them and handed them over to their families within in Kano, while others were returned to their states of origin.
Meanwhile, there are Kano indigenes who are Almajiri children who were categorised separately.
“Those who can read and write the Holy Qur’an were identified awaiting further directives from his excellency the governor,” Mr Fagge said.
“The government’s decision to ban the children from street begging is meant to safeguard their future and make the society a better place for all,” the spokesperson added.
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