Over 16 million Almajiris vow to bring down any Government over ill-treatment
…Say “In 2015, we removed Jonathan, made Buhari President”
Daniel Okpole Atori
President, Centre For Quranic Recitation In Nigeria Sheikh Hassan Musa has on Friday revealed that it was the votes of almajiris across the country that ousted former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and brought in President Muhammad Buhari to office in 2015.
This revelation is coming out even as Almajiris across the country have sent a stern warning to Governments at all levels over their recent dealings and handling of the repatriation of Almajiris in Nigeria.
Making this exposition, President of the National Centre for Quaranic Recitation, Sheikh Hassan Musa expressed their dismay, saying “Almajiris in Nigeria are over 16million and in 2015, we supported the All Progressives Congress, (APC), because Dame Patience, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s wife insulted us.
“Although, she does not understand Hausa language, but the way she spoke about us then during the campaign for her husband’s second term Presidential election, we felt very insulted. And, that was the only reason, we voted for President Muhammadu Buhari during the Presidential election. But now, we are treated this way.
“We agreed that Jonathan will not return and so, we asked all the almajiris across the country to vote for Buhari and that is how he won the elections but this is what we are getting.”
“All governments must handle the issue of the Almajiris in the country with caution, because any Government that works against the system will surely be crumbled.”
Sheikh Musa, who stated this during the flag Off and Hand Over by Niger state Government of Almajiri Isolation centre at Tudun Fulani Haji camp, Minna, the state capital, recalled how, the Almajiris in the country used their votes to vote out former President Goodluck Jonathan from power during the 2015 presidential election due to some derogatory utterances of his Wife, Dame Patience against them.
He further warned the political class in the country against toying with the ssue of almajiris the way they are doing now saying “we will wait for them again in 2023”.
He said they (Clerics) have agreed to allow the almajiris to be isolated and tested for the corona virus disease but said “we are releasing these children to you on trust if you fail us we will get back to you”
While expressing dissatisfaction at the way Almajiris are being handled and treated at the various isolation centres in the 19 northern states, he urged the Niger state government to take good care of the children at the centre and that after two weeks ensure that they are transported safely back to their states.
The National President of the Quaranic Centre further pleaded that “these children from the 25 local governments will be brought to the Isolation centre and will now be in your care. Please, take adequate care of them and after two weeks, take them back to their families. Their mallams have released them to you and we thank the Niger state government for the facility made available for them.”
He, however, frowned at the behaviour of some Almajiris, who instead of acquiring Islamic education, go about begging for alms and foods.
“The Almajiris are now a menace to Northern Nigeria. In the past, the Islamic education was important, but now, rather than learning, they about begging. It is very wrong.”
Speaking earlier, Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG) and Chairman Niger State Covid-19 Task Force, Ahmed Matane stated that the Isolation centre for Almajiris was set up based on the decision of the 19 Northern States Governors to send each of them back to their states of origin.
Accordingly, he said “we decided not to rush to return the Almajiris to their States as other northern states did. We, first consult with their Mallams before bringing them here. It is a clearly well defined protocol. After government’s dialogue with the Mallams. So, government provided the centre and put in place everything to take care of them for the two weeks.”
Matane also noted the need not to play politics with the issue saying, “the Almajiri system is a Northern Nigeria phenomenon. The North is being insulted for this. We are not stopping the system of education. They are everywhere at the Fuel stations, restaurants, Bank ATMs, streets not learning and we are saying, this has to stop.”
He further explained that the first set of 31 children to the centre were from Chanchaga local government, while those from the other 24 councils are being awaited.
In an interview session, Matane said the members of the National assembly did not know the “embarrassment the issue of almajiri is causing state governments which is why they asked that they should not be repatriated to their states of origin”.
He insisted on the implementation of the decision of the Northern states governors forum that the almajiris should return to their states of origin.
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“In Niger state we are adopting an entirely different approach which is why we are isolating them before sending them to their states of origin” Matane declared
